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AI software improves odds of good maternity care by 69%, say researchers - Digital Health Exciting advancements in maternity care! A recent review highlights that AI and clinical decision support systems (CDSS) can improve pregnancy outcomes by 69%. Analyzing over 12,000 studies, researchers found that CDSS enhances decision-making for both healthcare providers and expectant families. With the NHS prioritizing digital transformation, these tools could significantly alleviate pressures on maternity services. However, rigorous evaluations are essential to ensure effectiveness and adaptability. This research paves the way for continued innovation in maternity care, benefiting clinicians and patients alike. #HealthcareIT #AIinHealthcare #MaternityCare #ClinicalDecisionSupport #DigitalHealth #HealthInnovation #PatientSafety ai.mediformatica.com #maternity #review #clinical #research #software #tools #health #maternitycare #clinicaldecision #clinicaldecisionsupport #decisionsupport #found #digitalhealth #healthit #healthtech #healthcaretechnology @MediFormatica (https://buff.ly/4htl3XU)

In recent months and years, Massachusetts has taken steps to create healthier outcomes for Black mothers and birthing individuals – yet much more action is needed. As we recognize #BlackMaternalHealthWeek, we're reminded of the progress that has been made in our state including Boston Medical Center (BMC)'s new maternal care protocols that have already yielded measurable results, Mass Health's commitment to covering doula and midwifery services, and legislative progress towards equitable health infrastructure through bills such as #AnActtoAdvanceHealthEquity and An Act Ensuring Access to Full Spectrum Pregnancy Care. We also recognize that there is still much progress to be made to achieve maternal health equity, as the state’s rate of severe maternal morbidity among Black birthing people is more than double that of their white counterparts, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health . The Compact will continue to join others in advancing the accessible care, data collection, and legislative action needed to address these disparities. Read more about Black maternal health from a WBUR op-ed penned by Boston Public Health Commission's Bisola Ojikutu, Mass General Brigham's Allison Bryant Mantha, and An Act to Advance Health Equity sponsor Senator Liz Miranda. https://lnkd.in/eJtkJxDG #MAPoli #HealthEquity #MaternalHealth

Excited to share our work, 'Appraising LaQshya’s potential in measuring quality of care for mothers and newborns,' published in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth! Had a great opportunity to work on this project with extremely talented professionals at the Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and lead the analysis comparing LaQshya, India's Labor Room Quality Improvement Initiative, to WHO standards. LaQshya, launched in 2017, aims to enhance intrapartum care by minimizing complications, enforcing protocols, and promoting respectful maternity care. The study sheds light on LaQshya's strengths, such as utilizing proven strategies like institutional structures and performance incentives, while also identifying areas for enhancement, such as addressing harmful labor practices and strengthening governance structures. Check out the full paper: https://lnkd.in/d8BUR752 #MaternalHealth #NewbornCare #QualityImprovement #JohnsHopkinsSPH #BMJPediatricsOpen

Are there enough doulas? It's a question that comes up with payers, providers, and investors alike. And the answer is quite obviously no. Which is why I'm incredibly excited to announce the launch of Partum Health's new training and certification program for birth and postpartum doulas - EMBRACE! The Partum team, led by Melissa Dennis MD MHA FACOG has worked incredibly hard to make this training as centered in collaborative care models as it is in cultural competence - and we're including a range of top notch experts to cover topics like lactation, trauma-informed care, supporting families through pregnancy loss, perinatal mental health and more. Recognition of our gaps in maternal health care has led to new policies and inclusion of doula care as a covered service across more than a dozen states, with ~10 more currently moving from legislation to implementation. The change originated in Medicaid but is expanding to include commercially insured patients, including here in our home state of IL with the signing of the Birth Equity Act, championed by Lakesia Collins and signed into law by JB Pritzker To make the impact we know is possible when doulas provide support, we need to build up this workforce of incredible caregivers. It's something that's been on our minds since the very early days of Partum Health. I couldn't be more proud of the careful consideration, research, and effort that's gone into building this training. If you want to learn more about doulas, the impact they can have on maternal and family health, or discuss healthcare workforce needs, please reach out. Link to learn more about our training will be in the comments - please spread the word to any birth nerds and aspiring doulas in your network. Monika Pierce, Kai Tao, Dr. Nicole Tefera, Molly Blohm, Giovanna Otavalo and many more who provided incredibly valuable input.

More than 3.6 million babies are born each year in the U.S. yet many women are unable to access adequate maternity care and more than 80 percent of pregnancy-related deaths are considered preventable. Even though the U.S. spends twice as much as other high-income countries on maternal health, we are in a maternity care crisis. Against this backdrop, we are seeing a massive wave of technology-driven solutions geared towards fixing American healthcare. Technology can certainly play a role in stemming the maternal health crisis, but cannot replace in-person care. After all, babies aren't birthed through an app. Read more: https://lnkd.in/evaa62yM By Anu Sharma, Millie

Every two minutes, a woman dies from pregnancy or childbirth complications, and humanitarian crises often exacerbate these issues. Every mother’s or child’s death is devastating. As a physician, these numbers are heartbreaking. But all is not lost.  We can prevent this. In Devex, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Deputy Director Dr. Sanjana Bhardwaj, MD, MPH, FFPH, Dr. Petra Khoury, and Dr. Kelle Moley highlight the progress we’ve made and some of the solutions available for pregnant women and their babies.    🫄By focusing on simple, practical interventions like newborn care bundles, midwifery models, and postpartum hemorrhage bundles, we can save countless lives. To truly ensure safer pregnancies, we can’t rely solely on intervention. We must strengthen our national health systems, collaborative partnerships, and our strategic investments in healthcare workers—a majority of whom are women.     Read more ⬇️

🚑🌟 The loss of labor and delivery units in rural hospitals is creating a growing healthcare crisis. With more and more rural hospitals no longer offering maternity services, expecting mothers are forced to travel long distances for prenatal care and birthing services, exacerbating access issues and healthcare disparities. This trend highlights the critical need for sustainable healthcare solutions in rural areas to ensure all communities receive the care they need. NPR #ruralhealthcare #ruralhealth #healthcare #RuralHealthcareCrisis #MaternityCare #HealthcareAccess #RuralHealth #PregnancyCare #HealthEquity #HealthcareDisparities #RuralHospitals #HealthcareSolutions

🚨 Massachusetts is facing a maternal health crisis, with severe pregnancy complications doubling over the past decade. Dr. Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha, the Julia A. Okoro Professor of Black Maternal Health in the Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, explains that current metrics often miss the full scope, leading to underreporting and misclassification of maternal mortality. 🔍 She highlights how structural racism exacerbates the issue, especially for Black birthing people and supports the Maternal Health Omnibus Bill (Momnibus) because it addresses these discrepancies and aims to improve maternal health outcomes. 💡 The bill includes expanding access to midwives and birth centers, improving postpartum care, and advancing the highest priorities outlined by the Massachusetts Special Commission on Racial Inequities in Maternal Health. Read more about her perspective on this critical issue here: https://ow.ly/Ppln50SLQVX #MaternalHealth #TuftsMedicine #HealthEquity #Momnibus #BlackMaternalHealth

The U.S. has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed nations, and it's clear we need to be looking for solutions. 👇 A recent AP (Associated Press) report highlights what the U.S. can learn from other countries that have successfully reduced maternal deaths. Countries with lower maternal mortality prioritize these 3 things, leading to significantly better outcomes for mothers and infants. 🙌 Universal healthcare access 🫶 Emphasize midwifery care 🤝 Invest in comprehensive postpartum support Reimagine maternal health by adopting a more holistic, preventative approach, ensuring that all women—regardless of socioeconomic status—receive the care and support they need before, during, and after childbirth. We work to create interactive technology and thoughtful marketing strategies to close gaps and ensure every mother has access to the care she deserves. How is your organization working to improve maternal health outcomes? https://lnkd.in/gMzxAuhf #maternalhealth #healthcareinnovation

Gov. JB Pritzker signed a new law Monday that advocates hope will close maternal health equity gaps by expanding coverage for services. [Health News Illinois] The law tasks insurers with covering all pregnancy, postpartum and newborn care provided by perinatal doulas and licensed certified professional midwives.  Coverage includes home births and home visits. Home visits by lactation consultants would also be covered, as well as recommended products like breast pumps and feeding aids. Insurance policies will have to cover up to $8,000 of home visits by a perinatal doula for each pregnancy and postpartum period. Medicaid will also cover certified professional midwife services. Pritzker said during a bill signing in Chicago that the law follows through on his promise earlier this spring to address disparities in maternal health, specifically among Black women. “Black women are three times more likely than white women to die from medical complications during pregnancy and childbirth,” he said, citing a Department of Public Health report released last year. “That is appalling, it's unacceptable and we're not going to let that happen anymore in the state of Illinois.” Sen. Lakesia Collins, a Democrat from Chicago who sponsored the legislation this spring, said the disparities can no longer be ignored. “This law was not just about healthcare — it's about justice, equality and the right of every mother and child to have access to the safest and most effective care,” she said. Stakeholders noted the law is part of a larger effort underway in Illinois to improve maternal health outcomes.  The current state budget includes $15 million to support home visiting expansion, $4 million to support IDPH’s assessment of the state’s maternal mortality rate and the creation of an action plan to serve affected communities, $5 million to expand the Department of Human Services’ home visitor program, and $1 million to fund a pilot program at DHS to provide diapers. It also includes capital grant funding to support birth centers trying to open in underserved areas as well as facilities that have seen an influx of patients in the two years since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision. “There's more work to do, but this is an enormously important first and big step,” Pritzker said.   #maternalhealth #medicine #dental #publichealth #populationhealth #communityhealth