Digital health is gaining traction with legislative steam and government funding behind it, but as it becomes more accepted, concerns about data privacy, equity and security continue to occupy stakeholders. Health systems face imperatives to adopt remote virtual tools in the face of new competition and straightened resources. Plus, new research on preeclampsia. 

Health insurance payers have realized that collaborating with the right technology vendors can improve engagement and help deliver the most effective solutions to members. 

Payers have been actively plugging into digital health ecosystems to educate members, screen and diagnose risk, improve access to care, manage population health and connect members to community services and resources.

As the Biden administration announces a new office for Health Equity and Climate Change, questions of geographic, financial, and racial divides in maternal health populations are top of mind for industry leaders. Technology could be a solution, but reimbursement and equitable delivery remain a concern. 

This month, the Green Journal published The Michigan Plan for Appropriate Tailored Health Care in Pregnancy Prenatal Care Recommendations (MiPATH), which represents the first major changes to prenatal care recommendations since 1930. It includes two prenatal care plan options based on patients' medical, social, and structural determinants of health that are built on a baseline 4-visit, in-person delivery structure, supplemented by telemedicine and remote patient monitoring. 

The recommendations were presented by a panel of nineteen clinicians and researchers who represent expertise across maternity care, pediatrics, telemedicine, and social and structural determinants of health (including Babyscripts Senior Medical Director, Dr. Lauren Demosthenes), and include 1) individualizing care, 2) incorporation of telemedicine, and 3) consideration of both medical conditions and social and structural determinants of health in routine care delivery.

The convergence of a digital health boom and increased exposure of maternal health issues continues to raise questions about the role of technology in managing pregnancy risk, with a particular focus on blood pressure complications and social determinants of health.  Plus, new research out of the University of Michigan promoting flexible, tailored care for pregnant patients represents the first major change in prenatal care delivery recommendations since 1930.

As the use of digital tools continues to gain ground and win champions in the healthcare space, the question of equity should be top of mind for innovators. While some tout technology as the great equalizer, others worry that barriers of access still exist for the underserved, specifically minority populations: research has shown pervasive and damaging racial biases in artificial intelligence algorithms, clinical assessments, and product designs, raising questions about technology’s ability to deliver equitable care. 

As the digital health app market continues to boom,  the industry sees big money acquisitions, and healthcare systems use new tools to improve health equity. Experts discuss the future of telehealth, and how apps should be regulated. New efforts to improve maternity outcomes in the U.S. include free postpartum nurse visits in one state. 

Back in 2005 — when the hashtag was still the pound sign and liking IPAs was still countercultural — Google debuted the bowling alleys and nap pods of its California campus and sparked a revolution in business culture. It introduced a whole new genre of office life characterized by open layouts and relaxed dress codes, lunchtime yoga and craft beer happy hours and hot chocolate bars in the breakroom. 

In our years of experience in the maternal health space, Babyscripts has found that blood pressure monitoring is the most effective tool for immediately targeting and improving preventable maternal mortality and morbidity. We’ve leveraged our six years worth of data and on-the-ground experience to deliver cutting-edge tools for blood pressure monitoring and other solutions, and we’re looking forward to announcing our newest innovation soon!

Studies have found that virtual care increases patient satisfaction, but questions remain about whether health systems are prepared to make the shift to virtual models. Industry experts discuss the role of managed care organizations in reducing pregnancy complications, and maternal mental health and the prevalence of maternity care deserts in the US continue to draw critical attention.