ProgencyHealth’s latest key trends and insights report
ProgencyHealth has released its report on key trends and insights for 2023, entitled Rising Risks, Renewed Resolve.
In the report, the authors outline key areas for healthcare plans, hospitals, and healthcare providers to be aware of over the next year. Worrying trends have been reported in pregnancy and childbirth, with maternal mortality rates three times those of other high-income countries in recent years.
Preterm births have also risen to 1 in 102 babies born at least 3 weeks early in 2022. Pregnancy complications, birth complications, and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stays also saw rising rates. This has increased health care utilization and spending on these complications.
“The rising risks dominating the maternal and infant health landscape are linked to a complicated mix of factors: from political and legal changes to economic pressures to health care workforce shortages, systemic biases that contribute to distrust between communities of color, and unhealthy ones Lifestyle habits that are being exacerbated by the pandemic,” said Linda Genen, MD, chief medical officer at ProgenyHealth.
A prediction in the report is that tracking increased social determinants of health (SDoH) will allow for a better understanding of non-clinical factors affecting specific patient populations. This would help healthcare providers improve access to care and coordination.
The report also predicts that challenges in accessing maternal health will persist despite the attention and investment made in recent years. New legal challenges, rising care costs and the expansion of maternal care will lead to difficulties with provision.
The report also notes rising rates of pregnancy risk factors in recent years. These factors have increased in part due to changes in Americans’ lifestyles, aging maternal age, and greater prevalence of pre-existing chronic conditions.
While initial forecasts indicated that high-tech offerings such as telemedicine could replace face-to-face appointments, current trends point to a symbiosis between telemedicine and face-to-face appointments. According to the report, this leads to techniques that integrate virtual care with the in-person experience.
As mental health increased during the pandemic, perinatal individuals have seen an even more significant increase, the report notes. The prevalence of mental illness is even greater among black women.
“We will continue to take a leadership role in helping mothers have healthier full-term pregnancies and manage unavoidable complex NICU and postpartum issues through a focus on SDoH disparities, interactive technology and supportive care management by a team of medical experts ‘ said Susan Torroella, Chief Executive Officer of ProgenyHealth, ‘The actions we all take today will have a significant impact on the future.’
reference
ProgenyHealth will publish a report on key maternal and infant health trends and insights in 2023. offspring health. February 14, 2023. Accessed February 15, 2023. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/progenyhealth-releases-2023-key-trends-and-insights-report-on-maternal–infant-health – 301743212.html?tc=eml_cleartime