Next week, Babyscripts announces their new product enhancement: remote monitoring for maternal health. In a webinar led by Anish Sebastian, CEO and co-founder of Babyscripts, participants will be introduced to the mental health issues facing mothers today, and the value of technology for managing mental health in pregnancy, postpartum and beyond.

Mental health issues are on the rise in the midst of the pandemic, and now exacerbated by the onset of colder months and the holidays. Pregnant women, especially low-income and minority mothers, are at higher risk for mental complications, as new studies show. Industry players weigh the value of telehealth to manage mental health, and predict what telehealth will look like in the new year. 

This week, Babyscripts hosted its 4th Annual Future of Obstetrics Conference, and like most things in 2020, it looked a little different from its predecessors.

We heard the need for flexibility and accessibility, and made our conference fully virtual -- with prerecorded sessions that our clients could tune into at any time. We also limited our invites to customers-only, to truly hone in on the individual needs of our partners and offer exclusive insight into our future product roadmap.

A constantly-evolving understanding of COVID-19 and its implications for pregnant women has kept the pandemic at the top of the maternal health news cycle. With the onset of colder months and a predicted second wave, industry leaders weigh the benefits of virtual care for maternal health and new pathways for reimbursement. New studies reveal an increase in hypertension complications in pregnancy and barriers of access to care.

PLUS, a conversation with Sean Chen of Philips about digital health investment, including why Philips invested in Babyscripts. 

As we’ve discussed at length on this blog and elsewhere, the silver lining to COVID-19 has been an increased awareness of the importance of digital health from the people that are in a position to help pay for it.

In the first wave of the pandemic, the FCC published an order in the Federal Register opening applications for funding to support eligible health healthcare providers in the purchase and provision of connected care services in response to COVID-19.

In the news this week, the onset of colder months has raised concerns about an inevitable second pandemic wave, putting questions about Covid and pregnancy back in the spotlight. Healthcare professionals weigh the effects of digital health on health systems and questions of reimbursement reach Capitol Hill. 

Care silos have long been a headache for the healthcare industry. Fragmentation and interoperability across care providers fuels inefficiencies and redundancies, and decreases the chances for timely interventions at heavy financial and operational costs, not to mention poorer outcomes.

In the news this week, industry professionals weigh the benefits and barriers of digital health and discuss opportunities for reimbursement. The FDA moves forward with its plans for advancing digital health, and new guidelines are released to manage pregnancy and the opioid crisis.  

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.