Implementing premium digital solutions that offer clinical decision support and adaptable monitoring can help ease staff burnout and support better outcomes for all new and expecting families
Challenge
We’re in the midst of a maternal health crisis in the US
- Nearly 700 women die each year from pregnancy or delivery related complications1
- Severe maternal morbidity (SMM) affects approximately 50,000 women each year2
- 12.7% of pregnancy-related deaths in the US are caused by sepsis3
- 11.4% of U.S. maternal deaths are caused by postpartum hemorrhage—a leading cause of preventable pregnancy-related mortality4
Nurses are overwhelmed, overworked, and burning out
- 100K registered nurses left the profession since 20205
- 600K nurses intend to leave the profession by 2027, due to stress burnout and retirement6
- Documentation can take up to 40% of a nurse’s time7
- Only 33% of nurses say they have an ideal amount of time to spend with patients8
There’s a lack of access to quality perinatal care
- Nationwide, more than 500 maternity services closed between 2006 and 20209
- 35% of US counties are maternity care deserts10
- Now, more than half of rural U.S. hospitals now lack labor and delivery services11
- Urban maternity deserts primarily affect low-income Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous communities, limiting care options and worsening outcomes12, 13
And, the financial costs of poor maternal outcomes are mounting
- $6.6. billion in productivity losses (e.g. missed work, reduced capacity)14
- $895 million for Cesarean section deliveries15
- $350 million for increased peripartum stays16
- $239 million for increased social service use17
Digital technology addresses these key challenges
May help reduce maternal morbidity and mortality rates
- More than 80% of maternal deaths are considered preventable18
- When every second counts, digital tools that monitor and predict rising risk have been shown to help:
- Reduce time to measure blood pressure by 5%19
- Speed time to treatment by 24.9 minutes20
- Reduce hypertensive episode length by 70.8 minutes21
Helps improve staff efficiency, limits burnout
- Automates manual tasks and provides standardized protocol compliance to support novice, floating, and experienced nurses alike
- Streamlines data entry and reduce manual documentation tasks
- Allows nurses to spend more time on direct patient care
- Improves the accuracy and completeness of clinical documentation
- Technology enablement and automation could free nearly 2 hours of nurses’ time over a 12-hour shift22
May help enhance access to high-quality care
- Provides real-time data to support clinical decision making
- Improves compliance with protocols and standardizing care processes
- Reduces the risk of adverse events through proactive monitoring and intervention
- Continuous monitoring has been shown to drive:
- A 27% reduction in unexpected NICU admissions for term infants
- An 8% reduction in Cesarean deliveries23
Helps reduce costs associated with poor maternal outcomes and attrition
- Standardizing labor and delivery protocols may decrease unwanted variations in care driven by implicit bias—driving better outcomes and cost savings24
- An estimated 45% of Cesareans may be medically unnecessary25
- And the procedure is about 77% more expensive than uncomplicated vaginal births26
Together, we help you deliver consistent, synchronized care to improve outcomes for all families.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, January 30). Maternal mortality rates in the United States, 2018–2020. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2020/202001_MMR.htm
- Dagher, R. K., & Linares, D. E. (2022). A critical review on the complex interplay between social determinants of health and maternal and infant mortality. Children, 9(3), 394. https://doi.org/10.3390/children9030394
- Creanga, A. A., Berg, C. J., Syverson, C., Seed, K., Bruce, F. C., & Callaghan, W. M. (2017). Pregnancy-related mortality in the United States, 2005–2014. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 130(2), 366–373. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000002114
- Creanga, A. A., Syverson, C., Seed, K., & Callaghan, W. M. (2017). Pregnancy-related mortality in the United States, 2011–2013. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 130(2), 366–373. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000002114
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing. (2023, April 13). NCSBN research projects significant nursing workforce shortages and crisis. https://www.ncsbn.org/news/ncsbn-research-projects-significant-nursing-workforce-shortages-and-crisis
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing. (2023, April 13). NCSBN research projects significant nursing workforce shortages and crisis. https://www.ncsbn.org/news/ncsbn-research-projects-significant-nursing-workforce-shortages-and-crisis
- American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. (n.d.). Nursing documentation burden: A critical problem to solve. https://www.aacn.org/blog/nursing-documentation-burden-a-critical-problem-to-solve
- AMN Healthcare. (2023). 2023 survey of registered nurses. https://www.amnhealthcare.com/siteassets/amn-insights/surveys/amn-rnsurvey-2023-final.pdf
- Sheehan, P., Basu, S., & Council, A. (2023). Maternity care in the United States: The crisis of outcomes and costs. JAMA Health Forum, 4(1), e225573. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2800629
- March of Dimes. (2023). Maternity care deserts report. https://www.marchofdimes.org/peristats/reports/united-states/maternity-care-deserts
- Miller, H. D., & Rural Health Redesign Center. (2023). The rural maternity care crisis: Recommendations to preserve access to obstetric services in rural hospitals. https://ruralhospitals.chqpr.org/downloads/Rural_Maternity_Care_Crisis.pdf
- Goldfarb, S. S., et al. (2024). Hospital closures and maternal health outcomes in the United States: A systematic review. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 24, 135. https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-024-06535-7
- Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4). (2023). The impact of obstetric unit closures on pregnancy outcomes. https://www.phc4.org/case-studies/the-impact-of-obstetric-unit-closures-on-pregnancy-outcomes/
- Taylor, J., & Cohen, R. (2021). The high costs of maternal morbidity and the need for investment in maternal health. The Commonwealth Fund. https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2021/nov/high-costs-maternal-morbidity-need-investment-maternal-health
- Taylor, J., & Cohen, R. (2021). The high costs of maternal morbidity and the need for investment in maternal health. The Commonwealth Fund. https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2021/nov/high-costs-maternal-morbidity-need-investment-maternal-health
- Taylor, J., & Cohen, R. (2021). The high costs of maternal morbidity and the need for investment in maternal health. The Commonwealth Fund. https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2021/nov/high-costs-maternal-morbidity-need-investment-maternal-health
- Taylor, J., & Cohen, R. (2021). The high costs of maternal morbidity and the need for investment in maternal health. The Commonwealth Fund. https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2021/nov/high-costs-maternal-morbidity-need-investment-maternal-health
- Admon, L. K., et al. (2023). Preventability of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States. JAMA Network Open, 6(5), e2312320. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2832320
- Christmas, J., Cadwell, S., McAlister, J. L., Beard, J., & GE HealthCare. (2023). Digitization of a labor and delivery unit hypertension treatment protocol is associated with faster time to treatment and reduced hypertensive episode duration. http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2021/nov/high-costs-maternal-morbidity-need-investment-maternal-healt5
- Christmas, J., Cadwell, S., McAlister, J. L., Beard, J., & GE HealthCare. (2023). Digitization of a labor and delivery unit hypertension treatment protocol is associated with faster time to treatment and reduced hypertensive episode duration. https://www.healthcatalyst.com/learn/success-stories/labor-and-delivery-improvements-thibodauJ
- Christmas, J., Cadwell, S., McAlister, J. L., Beard, J., & GE HealthCare. (2023). Digitization of a labor and delivery unit hypertension treatment protocol is associated with faster time to treatment and reduced hypertensive episode duration. https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.1274
- McKinsey & Company. (2023). Reimagining the nursing workload: Finding time to close the workforce gap. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare/our-insights/reimagining-the-nursing-workload-finding-time-to-close-the-workforce-gap
- American Medical Association. (2023). How digitally enabled care can improve postpartum outcomes. https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/digital-health/how-digitally-enabled-care-can-improve-postpartum-outcomes
- Health Catalyst. (n.d.). Labor and delivery improvements at Thibodaux Regional Health System. https://www.healthcatalyst.com/learn/success-stories/labor-and-delivery-improvements-thibodaux
- Angolile, C. M., Max, B. L., Mushemba, J., & Mashauri, H. L (2023). Global increased cesarean section rates and public health implications: A call to action. Health Science Reports, 6(3), e1150. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10196217/
- Rae, M., Cox, C., & Dingel, H (2022). Health costs associated with pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care. Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker. https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/health-costs-associated-with-pregnancy-childbirth-and-postpartum-care/