Imagine a scenario where every expectant mother, regardless of her health challenges or socioeconomic status, has access to fast interventions and personalized world-class care. Thanks to remarkable strides in healthcare technology, a future with accessible care and enhanced safety for both mom and baby is swiftly transitioning from a distant hope to an imminent reality.
We might just be on our way to a future with increased support, earlier interventions, and fewer hospitalizations.
With the prevalence of high-risk pregnancies in the United States hovering between 15-20% and the total number of births in 2022 totaling 3,686,000, it is easy to estimate that approximately 540,000 to 720,000 high-risk pregnancies occurred across the US in 2022 (Source: CDC, provisional data). Common risk factors include, but are not limited to, hypertension, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes (See Ref. 1).
5 Critical Improvements High-Tech Solutions Are Making Possible
1. Early & Accurate Risk Identification & Intervention
When it comes to high-risk pregnancy cases early detection and action on potential complications is paramount. With new advancements constantly arising, care centers can now take advantage of ‘smart’ technologies such as AI and predictive analytics to analyze and organize vast datasets such as patients' medical histories quickly and comprehensively. This sophisticated level of patient stratification makes developing highly personalized care plans simple.
2. Tailored Care Management & Increased Patient Engagement
More personalized, engaged, and advanced care becomes possible when ‘smart’ technologies are combined with remote patient monitoring (RPM) and secure communication channels such as patient-friendly apps, SMS, and/or phone calls.
By categorizing patients and creating clinical pathways based on their individual needs and risk profiles these new technologies can help guide individualized high-quality care management without complex spreadsheets or heavy work loads.
For many populations access to care has become a problem. Providing patients with resources such as self-monitoring tools, surveys, and secure channels for care communication can empower patients while keeping professionals aware of key information such as vitals and even possible social determinant issues (SDoH) ultimately working towards a more equitable healthcare system for all.
3. Value Based Care Outcome Improvements and Cost Reduction:
For years, the United States health care system rewarded quantity of services over quality. While the uprise of Value-based care has begun the transition from a fee to service model without the right resources can be challenging.
Technology can improve the diagnostic accuracy and effective management of pregnancy-related disorders shifting the focus to preventive care and early intervention which can play a pivotal role in reducing hospital admissions, ER visits and cutting overall costs.
The collection of deeper & more targeted data can help leadership proactively optimize the allocation of resources. Using predictive technologies can help proactively risk-stratify. The use of these technologies enables teams to effectively identify and focus on areas needing improvement so professionals can direct their attention where it matters most.
Technology modernizes the age old saying "It takes a village" by making collaboration and communication more accessible.
On the clinical side, these technologies foster communication among healthcare providers, specialists, and support networks, creating a dynamic environment for comprehensive care. These technologies enable multi-disciplinary teams to collaborate in real-time, breaking down the barriers of geographical distance and specialty silos. Front line team members, obstetricians, and social workers can seamlessly share information, insights, and treatment plans, ensuring a holistic approach to care.
These same technologies can also be used engage expectant mothers and their families, by providing them with access to a wealth of resources, information, communication channels, and support tools. Thus, empowering patients by encouraging active participation in decision-making and self-care.
Beyond immediate patient care, next-gen advancements contribute significantly to advancing research and clinical innovation in the field of high-risk pregnancy. The wealth of data collected by these platforms enables researchers to uncover patterns and insights that inform groundbreaking research and innovative treatment approaches. The benefits extend far beyond individual patients, contributing to the evolution of healthcare practices and the development of novel solutions.
In an era where the complexities of high-risk pregnancy require innovative solutions, next-generation intelligence solutions are poised to be a driving force in improving patient outcomes, enhancing care quality, and driving healthcare innovation forward. These advancements are reshaping the landscape of high-risk pregnancy care, offering immense potential for medical professionals and healthcare executives alike.
Caret Health is a turn-key value-based care solution committed to cost and quality improvement, Caret Health’s next-generation intelligence platform focuses on identifying and proactively driving intervention solutions for high-risk patient populations including high-risk pregnancy. Powered by predictive analytics, digital intelligence (AI), and remote care intervention, Caret Health’s platform is designed to move beyond data collection to directly address the complexities of modern healthcare while reducing cost, enhancing quality outcomes, simplifying workflows, addressing the social determinants of health (SDoH) and improving/empowering overall patient care.
