Richard Bates

MICHIGAN – Thunder Bay Community Health Service (TBCHS) and Munson Healthcare announced on Wednesday their new partnership aims to expand access to prenatal care for families across Northern Michigan.

According to the press release, with much of the TBCHS service area designated as a maternity care desert, expecting mothers currently face travel times of an hour or more to receive prenatal services. The collaboration between TBCHS and Munson Healthcare seeks to bring local care closer to home.

“This collaboration will help eliminate barriers to care we see so often here in Northern Michigan. Providing quality prenatal care close to home sets our region’s babies up for a healthier future,” Richard Bates, CEO of TBCHS and OB/GYN, said in the release.

The organization provides services in Cheboygan, Montmorency, Oscoda, Otsego, and Presque Isle counties, serving nearly 20,000 patients annually, according to the release.

Through the partnership, TBCHS stated that patients will be able to receive routine prenatal care at the TBCHS Atlanta Clinic and Rogers City Clinic, located in Montmorency and Presque Isle County. Care will be provided by Brendan Conboy, a board-certified OB/GYN with extensive experience in women’s health.

Patients will transition their care to Munson Healthcare once they reach 36 weeks of pregnancy, ensuring a seamless transfer and a coordinated birth plan supported by Munson’s regional obstetric care teams, according to the release.

“Our partnership with Thunder Bay Community Health Service reflects Munson Healthcare’s commitment to meeting families where they are and expanding access to high-quality care across Northern Michigan,” East Region President Munson Healthcare Kirsten Korth-White said in the release. “By bringing routine prenatal services closer to home and ensuring a smooth transition into our birthing centers, we are helping remove longstanding barriers so that every baby, mother, and family has the support and care they deserve.”

According to TBCHS, deliveries will initially take place at Munson Healthcare Grayling Hospital. Starting in the fall of 2026, families will deliver at the new, birthing center at Munson Healthcare Otsego Memorial Hospital in Gaylord.

“Continuity of care is one of the most important factors in promoting healthy pregnancies,” East Region Chief Medical Officer of Munson Healthcare Kevin Omilusik said in the release. “By collaborating with Thunder Bay Community Health Service, we’re ensuring that patients receive local, relationship-based prenatal care from a dedicated team that knows them and understands their needs.”

TBCHS reiterated that its partnership with Munson Healthcare strengthens maternal health services, expands prenatal care access, and supports healthier outcomes for families across Northern Michigan.