OBHG Exploring ‘The Farthest Reaches Of Possibility’ At the very beginning of his obstetrics career, Dr. Chris Swain was astonished to learn that many expectant mothers, concerned that something might be wrong, did not even see a physician when they came to the emergency room. Instead, they were evaluated by a Laborand-Delivery nurse taking instructions over the phone from a physician. If the patient and her baby were in serious distress, it became a waiting game, with the risk escalating every minute she waited for medical attention from her doctor — or any doctor. “One night in early 2006, I woke up with an idea,” Dr. Swain explained. Private OB/GYNs not only suffered the inconvenience of being disturbed at all hours, but they also were taking risks by managing patients’ care over the phone without actually seeing them. Delays in care at this time can be serious. “It was my ‘aha’ moment,” he said. “We had to fix that, and the way to do it was by creating the 24/7 Obstetric Emergency Department (OBED)” utilizing the hospitalist model that had been adopted in internal medicine. The OBED not only could improve patient safety but also provide needed all-hours support for overworked local obstetricians. The Health Corporation of America (HCA) agreed to conduct a pilot program of the OBED model in Florida. Soon hospitals across the country expressed interest. In the early years, Dr. Swain wore many hats. “I was the complaint department, human resources department, marketing department, et cetera. I did a lot of the work myself, including the company’s first website,” Dr. Swain said. “I paid everyone with hand-written checks. We have come a long way since then.”
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In 2009, Dr. Swain joined forces with his brother, David Swain, to incorporate Ob Hospitalist Group, and the following year, they moved OBHG’s headquarters to Mauldin, South Carolina. In May 2010, the growth equity firm Summit Partners announced its initial investment in OBHG. In 2013, Ares Management, a publicly traded, global asset manager, became the lead private equity investor.
“ One night in early 2006, I woke up with an idea, Private OB/GYNs not only suffered the inconvenience of being disturbed at all hours, but they also were taking risks by managing patients’ care over the phone without actually seeing them. Delays in care at this time can be serious.” — Christopher C. Swain, MD Founder and Chief Medical Officer