INDUSTRY PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
PeriGen: Nurse Voices Helping to Drive AI-Powered Perinatal Software Solutions
By: Cyndy Krening, MS, RNC-OB, C-EFM, FAWHONN, Perinatal CNS and Fetal Telemetry Nurse
PeriGen products are designed to help clinicians in the perinatal space streamline practice and enhance patient safety. They incorporate features to improve situational awareness and standardization of care during childbirth. Through AI-driven consistent analysis and efficient display of complex data obtained from fetal heart rate tracings, they promote enhanced recognition and communication about fetal and maternal issues arising during labor. The combination of clinical expertise and PeriGen’s AI enhances bedside care by continuously analyzing patient data to detect subtle changes, enabling clinicians to intervene earlier and impact outcomes.
Behind these innovations are clinical leaders who know firsthand the challenges of perinatal care. I recently listened in on a conversation with two of them — Karen “KK” Kolega, DNP, RNC-OB, C-EFM, C-ONQS, FAWHONN, PeriGen’s Chief Nursing Officer, and Debbie Ketchum, DNP, MAOM, NEA-BC, RNC-MNN, C-EFM, REC-C, PeriGen’s Clinical Engagement Executive. Their shared passion for safer, more equitable maternal and newborn outcomes shines through everything they do.
Meet KK and Debbie — PeriGen Nurse Innovators!
KK, as Karen is fondly called, has a long history as a leader in the acute-care obstetric space. KK, who has spent her career as a bedside L&D nurse, educator, director and assistant CNO, carries a deep commitment to risk and safety work as well as improving outcomes. She has long advocated for high-reliability practices with proven interventions within her hospitals and national healthcare systems.
“Just about everything in healthcare runs through a nurse,” says KK, who stresses the importance of having nursing representation on technology boards to drive the vision. She was recently featured in Modern Healthcare, where her passions for amplifying the voice of nursing and developing solutions for long-standing challenges in maternal and newborn care were highlighted.
Debbie currently works as the Clinical Engagement Executive at PeriGen, where she leads national initiatives to improve perinatal safety and outcomes through advanced analytics and workflow optimization. Hernursing career began in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, where she specialized in obstetrics and gynecology and discovered her passion for maternal care. In civilian life, she built and led maternal-child programs across diverse healthcare settings, always focused on empowering nurses and enhancing patient safety. 
Debbie has held numerous clinical leadership roles, taught and mentored countless nurses, and continues to advocate for evidence-based practice, equitable care, and innovation in perinatal health. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and NeonatalNurses (AWHONN) and was recently elected as the 2026 President-Elect for the organization, where she will help to shape the future of maternal and newborn care nationwide.
What Makes PeriGen So Special, And Why Do You Work There?
Together, KK and Debbie embody what makes PeriGen special. After consulting for the company for eight years, KK saw that PeriGen products CAN impact outcomes. Now, as part of the team, she’s excited to see that influence expand internationally. For Debbie, the mission “to care for the caregivers” is deeply personal. Adult early warning systems saved her life while experiencing sepsis, and she’s passionate about ensuring others have the benefit of early warning systems in the perinatal setting. She has also witnessed first-hand the moral distress and traumatic devastation of maternal and neonatal mortality and believes PeriGen can add a layer of support during complex care situations. PeriGen is focused on a perinatal early warning system to avoid preventable injuries and save lives.
Both women spoke respectfully and empathetically about the strength and resilience of today’s perinatal nurse leaders and are honored to advocate and help them whenever possible, understanding that innovation is often difficult because of the enormous mandatory tasks placed on their role on a daily basis. They also both point to PeriGen’s Advisory Board as a differentiator because they’ve invested in getting input from clinicians who have both obstetric expertise and product expertise so innovation stays grounded in real-world practice.
“PeriGen and I are committed to assuring that nurses are at the table where decisions are made,” says KK. And both agree, there’s joy in the culture at PeriGen, a rare and refreshing thing.
What Should Nurses Know About AI Innovations?
KK stressed, “Nurses have to understand that AI has been here a while and is here to stay, and that we need both humans AND AI in healthcare. Nurses need to understand AI and be part of conversations about it. Nurse leaders must help guide the responsible adoption of AI into obstetric care.” A command center using the PeriGen Vigilance (AI) system to monitor fetal heart rate tracings at a number of sites from a remote location helps with collaborative care so that nurses feel safe everywhere. (I know about this personally, because I work at one in Colorado.) Debbie added that it is her dream that all patients — urban and rural — get the same quality care, something PeriGen’s AI command centers help make possible. KK also emphasized that a computerized AI system doesn’t see age, race or ethnicity, so there’s a potential to reduce biases. Their shared goal is clear: Safer, more equitable perinatal care for all!
What a joy it was to learn from these strong, experienced nurse leaders. They are driving innovation and want to leave a legacy of making an impact at PeriGen with JOY!
Advancing the Role of Nurse Leaders in Technology and Transformation
To support and empower nursing leaders like Karen and Debbie in driving innovation and change in healthcare, consider implementing the following strategies:
1. Professional Development in Technology & AI:
- Provide ongoing education and training in emerging technologies, especially AI, to ensure nurse leaders are confident and knowledgeable participants in innovation.
- Encourage participation in workshops, conferences, and certification programs focused on digital health and informatics.
2. Amplify the Nurse Leader Voice:
- Create platforms (advisory boards, councils, or forums) where nurse leaders can share insights, influence product development, and shape organizational strategy.
- Involve nurse leaders in decision-making processes, especially those related to technology adoption and workflow changes.
3. Foster a Culture of Innovation:
- Encourage experimentation and pilot programs, allowing nurse leaders to test and refine new ideas in a supportive environment.
- Recognize and celebrate innovative contributions and successful change initiatives led by nursing staff.
4. Support for Change Management:
- Provide resources and training in change management to help nurse leaders guide their teams through transitions.
- Facilitate team-building activities and retreats to build trust, camaraderie, and resilience during periods of change.
Learn more about PeriGen
The material presented in this blog represents the opinion of the author(s) and not necessarily the views of Synova Associates. Synova Associates does not endorse any specific products or organizations but strives to connect its industry partners with leaders interested in product/educational innovation.
