Philips, Amerigroup, CareSource Georgia, and Peach State Health Plan Team Up to Improve Maternal Healthcare
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and ATLANTA, Ga. – Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, has joined forces with Amerigroup, CareSource Georgia, and Peach State Health Plan to provide remote monitoring solutions aimed at enhancing access to quality healthcare for high-risk pregnancies in Georgia.
In a move supporting the Georgia Healthy Babies Act, the program will initially provide pregnant and postpartum individuals diagnosed with maternal hypertension and diabetes in 50 counties with access to remote patient monitoring. Licensed clinical professionals will offer personalized health coaching to participants, monitoring their health and proactively responding to potentially dangerous developments.
“Amerigroup is proud to collaborate on this important initiative, which aims to significantly improve maternal health outcomes in Georgia through innovative remote monitoring solutions,” stated Dr. Truddie Darden, Chief Medical Director for Amerigroup Georgia. “Together, we strive to make transformative progress and have a life-changing impact on vulnerable mothers and babies across the state.”
Laquanda Brooks, Senior Vice President, Population Health and Clinical Operations at Peach State Health Plan, added, “Peach State Health Plan is dedicated to moving the needle for Georgian moms by working with strong partners and implementing innovative solutions that support and improve their care. Through remote patient monitoring and by taking a personalized approach to care, we’re better positioned to support mothers and their babies and improve maternity outcomes in Georgia.”
Maternal healthcare in the U.S. faces significant challenges. High-risk pregnancies account for 62% of all pregnancies nationwide [1]. There has been an 81.3% increase in hypertension, and a 50% increase in diabetes diagnoses in expectant mothers [2]. Moreover, over 35% of U.S. counties are considered maternity care deserts, defined as areas where access to maternity healthcare is limited [2]. By 2030, it is projected that the supply of OB-GYNs in non-metropolitan US areas will only meet 50% of the existing demand [3].
In Georgia, with Medicaid covering approximately half of all births, the state ranks 31st out of 40 in maternal mortality rates [4]. This has led to state lawmakers introducing legislation to increase support for Medicaid-eligible families, emphasizing remote technologies designed to address maternal health deserts.
“Our members are working moms, moms who face challenges with childcare or transportation, and moms in rural Georgia who have limited access to healthcare,” noted Lisa Pennington, senior manager of population health at CareSource Georgia. “By bringing care right to their homes through connected devices, we’re offering them timely, personalized healthcare that can make a real difference in the health and well-being of moms and babies, no matter where they live in the state.”
Medicaid-eligible pregnant women with maternal hypertension or diabetes can choose to participate in the program and will receive appropriate monitoring devices. A Philips-licensed nurse, dietitian, and certified diabetes care and education specialist will then give guidance on how to use the devices, as well as schedule coaching calls. Clinicians are alerted when a participant’s blood glucose or blood pressure measurements are outside of acceptable ranges. They then follow up by offering coaching, assessing for additional symptoms, and determining if a participant needs to consult with their healthcare provider.
The remote monitoring program continues for up to 90 days after delivery.
“Philips is committed to improving maternal healthcare and ensuring that all expectant women have access to high-quality prenatal and postpartum care,” said Jennifer Law, Maternal Health Leader at Philips. “We enable this through partnerships with innovative organizations like Peach State Health Plan, Amerigroup, and CareSource that share our mission of improving lives. It takes an ecosystem of innovators, providers, payers, and policymakers working together to ensure a healthy pregnancy and start for every mom and child.”
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4728153/ [2] Nowhere to Go: March of Dimes 2024 Maternity Care Deserts Report US [3] Why Health Care Is Harder to Access in Rural America [4] 2024 March of Dimes Report Cared for Georgia
