If we played a word association game for 2020, we’d most likely elicit a string of strong negative terms. Chaos, confusion, fear, uncertainty...you can likely think of a few.
But as we close out this year that has seemed like a decade, we at Babyscripts would like to offer a new perspective. A different list.
When we think of 2020, we think Innovation. Collaboration. Advocacy. Urgency.
This sentiment goes beyond the proverbial ‘silver-lining’ to reflect a somber optimism. Despite the challenges that this past year brought, it forced us to question deeply-held beliefs, and ultimately ushered in the dawn of a new era in care delivery.
We questioned how far we could push the limits of digital and technology. In March, as nationwide stay at home measures were going into effect, practices scrambled to patch together solutions that delivered appropriate care, yet kept patients, healthcare workers and communities safe. Overnight, virtual went from being an afterthought to being the thought, and care teams made the difficult decision to shed old methods and re-invent themselves in innovative ways.
We questioned the delivery of care, discovering a fundamental imbalance at the heart of our system. We realized that while for some, our healthcare system brought to bear all the marvels of modern science and medicine, for others it was far from equitable. This realization transformed into movement at the patient, community and national level, advocating for better and more equitable care for all.
We questioned traditional methods of regulation and funding, recognizing that polices and business models with deeply misaligned incentives were simply not going to cut it. Providers, payers and state governments worked collaboratively outside of the limits of current infrastructure to empower change, while regulatory and governing bodies recalibrated laws and rules that spurred innovation.
In the midst of all this, our team stepped up to support these efforts in incredible ways.
They worked around the clock to help our clients implement and learn new digital solutions in record time, as health systems were forced to stand up virtual care solutions in a matter of days.
They sacrificed time, energy, and effort to prioritize product enhancements to meet the needs of the pandemic landscape, implementing product improvements and developing our solution for maternal mental health in an intensely compressed timeline, because they saw a crisis and responded.
They drafted, recorded, and published resources to help others in the space lean on and learn from our on-the-ground experiences, and continue to brainstorm ways in which we can contribute to a combined movement to educate and advocate for better maternal health.
And our team accomplished all of this while reeling from the effects of the pandemic themselves. They transitioned to fully remote working, juggled homeschooling children, shared tight work spaces with roommates and spouses, faced economic losses, supported sick friends and relatives and came down with the virus themselves.
Through all of these challenges in their home and personal lives, our team continued to give 150% to support our mission of better pregnancies.
At Babyscripts, we measure success by improvements made in the lives of mothers, babies, their care teams. Every action or service that opens access to better maternity care counts toward that metric.
As we look back at this year, we’re grateful to the clients who have trusted us to support better care for their patients, and we’re immensely grateful to the team that makes it happen. As we enter into the new year, we’re hopeful that this next chapter stands to catapult us into a better and more exciting future for maternal health.