Virtual care dominated the news cycle this week, even as office visits rebound. Healthcare executives weigh the role of digital health in their strategic plans, as consumer demand for mental health tools and others increases. Health equity and racial disparities in care continue to be prime considerations for the industry, as the upcoming election and civil rights protests have keep them in the spotlight.

Babyscripts is excited to announce a commercial partnership with Roche Diagnostics, a division of the world’s largest biotech company and a global pioneer in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. This new collaboration will support development of the next generation of digital and diagnostic combinations in women’s health.

In the news this week, women are pushing through stigmas to speak up about the realities of miscarriage, loss, and depression during and after pregnancy. The barriers of social determinants of health are in the spotlight as questions of health equity continue to occupy the industry. Plus, concerns over Covid and how it is continuing to change the industry.

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Last week, Surgeon General VADM Jerome M. Adams, M.D., M.P.H., issued a national Call to Action urging Americans to recognize and address hypertension control as a public health priority. The report summarizes the recent data on hypertensive disorders, identifies and promotes various strategies for improving outcomes, and provides recommendations for targeted areas of focus where resources are limited. 

In the news this week, industry leaders discuss reimbursement for digital tools and value-based care for telemedicine. Questions of health equity and the role of policymakers in improving maternal care continue to dominate the news cycle as the election approaches. The role of digital health in reducing care disparities is considered, and the definition of "maternal health" continues to expand to include considerations of social determinants of health and mental health. 

In this week's news, new policies from the FDA mark strides toward a more comprehensive approach to digital health technology as the industry considers delivery of care outside traditional office settings, and payers weigh the benefits of virtual care. In maternal health, new initiatives continue to emphasize the importance of remote patient monitoring for better outcomes, particularly monitoring of blood pressure. Plus, two bills introduced to help improve access to vaccines for pregnant mothers. 

This week, Babyscripts joined innovators, providers, midwives, and other stakeholders in the maternal health space for a collaboration with the Advancement League and American Health Association: "Creating an Equitable Path Forward: Maternal Health." 

50,000 women are affected by maternal complications every year and about 700 die from them. Black women are 2-3x more likely to die than white women. Significantly, many maternal health outcomes are not determined by biological or genetic dispositions.

In this week's news, new policies and calls for Medicaid expansion are directed to helping address maternal health disparities, plus a new report from March of Dimes on the increasing problem of maternity care deserts. The industry considers the limits of telehealth and the need to enhance visits with remote patient monitoring.  

Last week, we sat down with the team at Inception Health, the digital innovation arm of the Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin health network. Michael Anderes, Chief Innovation and Digital Officer, Froedtert Health and President, Inception Health; and Kelly Stevenson, Senior Manager, Inception Health, shared how they approach innovation to ensure that new digital health solutions are impactful and sustainable.

In the news this week, more research on the impact of COVID-19 and maternal health, including disturbing links between the coronavirus and a decrease in prenatal care, resulting in poor outcomes such as premature birth and stillbirth. The industry considers the digital health divide across incomes and geographies, and a look forward to digital health's future in 2021.