When a patient receives news that her unborn child may face a significant medical challenge, the moment changes the trajectory of her pregnancy. Referring physicians understand how essential it is to guide families through this uncertainty with clarity and a structured path forward. The first-of-its-kind Hersh Fetal Diagnostic and Treatment Center at Atlantic Health Morristown Medical Center is designed for exactly this scenario. It offers an aligned, anticipatory, and family centered model that supports both mother and baby, while partnering closely with the clinicians who refer them.
What distinguishes the Hersh Fetal Center from any other is not only the breadth of subspecialty expertise, but the way that expertise is brought together. The center creates a unified approach that prepares early, collaborates continuously, and addresses not only the medical needs of a pregnancy, but the emotional and logistical needs of the family as well.
Alignment Across Disciplines
Traditional fetal care often requires families to visit multiple subspecialists at different locations on different days, which can leave parents navigating a confusing set of recommendations. As maternal fetal medicine specialist Dr. Karen Russo explains, families are accustomed to “individually going to those different sites on different days at different times” and although the model technically works, “a lot of the time it is difficult for the patients.”
The Hersh Fetal Center eliminates this fragmentation. Here, maternal fetal medicine, neonatology, pediatric surgery, cardiology, neurology, infectious disease, urology, social work, and supportive services collaborate within one coordinated structure. Families meet their specialists in a single dedicated space, which Dr. Russo describes as “a huge difference from what they have been doing in the past” and “a dream that finally comes true.”
This alignment allows specialists to form a shared understanding of each pregnancy that is difficult to achieve through remote or piecemeal communication. Pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Richard Anderson explains that when care happens in separate programs or through ad hoc coordination, it can create what he describes as “virtual patients,” where responsibility and context are dispersed. In contrast, working together in the same space, with immediate access to one another and to the family leads to better care and a better experience.
This physical and clinical proximity is the foundation of the center’s shared mental model. Referring physicians benefit from knowing that once they connect a patient to the center, a unified team will be working from the same playbook.
Anticipation: Planning for the Newborn Long Before Birth
This unified structure enables anticipatory care, which is especially important when fetal findings suggest a newborn may need specialized support immediately after birth. Neonatologist Dr. Amy Presti describes how her team engages early and remains connected throughout the pregnancy: consultations and updates “speak to each other throughout the whole pregnancy,” emphasizing that “the conversation is not one and done.”
This ongoing collaboration allows the team to anticipate whether a newborn will require respiratory support, surgical intervention, cardiac evaluation, infectious disease treatment, or neurosurgical assessment at birth. Families often meet the neonatal team in advance and may tour the NICU to understand where their baby will be cared for.
By the time labor begins, the center has already prepared. Dr. Presti explains that the team ensures “everybody is ready, the equipment is ready, and all the proper people are at the delivery.”
Subspecialists offer similar insights. Pediatric infectious disease specialist Dr. Cristina Gagliano notes that for newborns exposed to HIV, antiretroviral therapy must begin “within a few hours of birth,” which is only possible through early and precise planning.
Dr. Nicholas Sines, a pediatric surgeon, emphasizes how prenatal discussions help families understand what to expect and reduce fear. Meeting parents early allows him “to allay some of the fears and devastating news that parents get,” by explaining options and outlining realistic scenarios.
This anticipatory model reduces unnecessary transfers, avoids last minute escalation, and ensures that referring physicians do not carry the burden of determining where complex patients should deliver. Those decisions are made collaboratively and well in advance.
Coordinated Delivery: When Readiness Shapes Experience and Outcome
Thanks to early planning, delivery at the Hersh Fetal Center becomes a coordinated, predictable experience. The appropriate teams are present. Roles are clear. Equipment is prepared. Families walk into labor and delivery already knowing who will be there and what to expect.
This level of coordination improves not only clinical readiness but also the patient experience. It also allows the center to keep patients with their preferred obstetrician whenever appropriate. When higher acuity support is needed, the transition is seamless because the care team has already been briefed and involved.
Subspecialists consistently highlight how important this early alignment is. When clinicians prepare together, it strengthens every downstream step, from initial stabilization to ongoing neonatal care.
Family Centered Support That Eases the Burden of Complexity
Although the clinical aspects of a fetal diagnosis are significant, the emotional and logistical challenges can be equally overwhelming. The Hersh Fetal Center addresses this through intentional family focused support that complements its medical expertise.
A dedicated nurse navigator serves as the family’s constant point of contact, helping with scheduling, communication, and ongoing coordination. Families do not have to sort through multiple phone numbers or interpret complex medical updates on their own.
The center’s social worker, Juliet Keilar, explains that families often arrive “overwhelmed, confused, and scared.” Her role is to provide “a place of reflection where parents can talk and process through things and gain some clarity.”
Supportive therapies enhance this experience. Megan Calabro, a music therapist at the Hersh Fetal Center, notes that medical processes can become so consuming that “the person at the center can get lost in the shuffle.” Music therapy helps parents reconnect to themselves and their family, restoring calm during stressful moments.
These supports help families remain engaged, informed, and emotionally steady. They also strengthen the referring physician’s relationship with the patient, who feels held by a system designed for both medical and emotional care.
What This Means for Referring Physicians
The Hersh Fetal Center’s model offers several meaningful advantages for clinicians who manage pregnant patients:
- A single coordinated referral pathway
Once a referral is placed, the center activates a structured process involving maternal fetal medicine, neonatology, and all relevant subspecialists. - Clear and consistent communication
Unified recommendations reduce confusion for families and for referring clinicians. - Proactive delivery planning
Decisions about location and level of care are made early and communicated clearly. - Embedded emotional and logistical support
Nurse navigation, social work, and supportive therapies help stabilize families and improve engagement. - Continuity into the newborn period
Subspecialists who consult prenatally often remain involved after birth, strengthening long term outcomes and coordination.
A Dependable Partner in Complex Pregnancy Care
The Hersh Fetal Center is built around a simple idea: high risk pregnancies require more than multiple specialists. They require alignment, anticipation, and a thoughtful structure that supports families and clinicians at every step. For referring physicians, the center offers a reliable partner that strengthens communication, reduces fragmentation, and prepares proactively for the needs of both mother and baby. The result is a more confident, coordinated, and compassionate experience for every family who enters its care.