University of Maryland Medical System

NEST Remote Fetal Monitoring

The University of Maryland Medical System’s NEST Remote Fetal Monitoring unit represents a groundbreaking advancement in obstetric care, providing 24/7 fetal heart rate surveillance across seven birthing hospitals throughout Maryland.

Founded in 2024 and operating from UMMS corporate offices in Linthicum, the NEST employs 17 labor and delivery nurses with a combined 250 years of bedside experience. This innovative unit monitors over 10,000 births annually across the state.

The NEST is only the fourth facility of its kind in the United States and the first on the East Coast. Launched after extensive planning, the program began operations in May 2024 with three pilot hospitals before expanding to all seven UMMS birthing facilities by July.

What distinguishes the NEST is its three-tiered approach to patient safety: bedside teams at each hospital, remote NEST nurses providing continuous monitoring, and cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology through PeriGen that offers additional surveillance of fetal heart patterns.

“Health care is an ever-changing, ever-evolving industry and the UMMS NEST is where this change and evolution meet obstetrics and women’s health. Although not physically at the bedside, every day, every call, the NEST continues to advocate and be a voice for the unborn,” stated Cristina Haas of UMMS.

The NEST team establishes communication pathways unique to each hospital’s systems, ensuring seamless collaboration between remote and bedside staff. The team has developed educational newsletters called “NESTducation” to share findings and “NEST eggs” to recognize outstanding care from bedside colleagues.

Development of the NEST involved extensive collaboration across departments, including the Maryland Medicine Comprehensive Insurance Program, Quality, Informatics, Clinical Engineering,

Facilities and Obstetrics. The team also consulted with Lisa Miller, an international expert in electronic fetal monitoring.

“This innovation also demonstrates the UMMS commitment to elevating care for all mothers and babies, where technologies are few and far between,” noted Haas.

Though still in its early stages, the NEST has already fostered collaborations that have led to positive outcomes for mothers and babies while working to integrate this new technology into established health care practices.

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