CHICAGO, May 23, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Health Care Service Corporation is bringing
additional support and resources to make a critical impact on the
health of moms and babies in Illinois. The expanded maternal and infant
health initiative aims to improve health outcomes by increasing
access to care, reducing care gaps, and educating and engaging
residents in the local community.
The initiative builds on foundational work already underway to
advance maternal and infant health. It includes increased support
for members, as well as additional focus on partnering with key
stakeholders in the community, including clinical partners. By
collaborating with trusted community organizations and partners,
HCSC is able to leverage their knowledge, experience, and talents
locally to help support healthier communities.
"State reviewers found that 91% of pregnancy-related deaths in
Illinois were potentially
preventable, due to clinical, system, social, and community
factors," said Yolanda Lawson, MD,
Executive Medical Director, Maternal and Infant Health at HCSC. "We
are taking a data-driven approach to target the social and clinical
drivers that impact maternal health."
HCSC will prioritize:
- promoting enhanced quality in birthing locations across
Illinois, with a focus on health
equity;
- providing resources to community-based organizations that
address the social determinants of health;
- and supporting the expansion of the maternal health workforce,
including doulas and midwives to reduce perinatal
disparities.
Efforts will focus on helping women and families through
pregnancy planning, childbirth and beyond, concentrating on
county-level maternity care deserts as outlined in the most recent
state Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Report.
HCSC first rolled out its expanded maternal support program last
year, with a focus on Texas. It is just one of the ways the
company has demonstrated its commitment to improving maternal and
infant health in the states it serves. Highlights of the initiative
include:
- Funding up to 15 new CenteringPregnancy sites across
Texas. HCSC has collaborated with
Centering Healthcare Institute since 2020 to expand access to
CenteringPregnancy across Illinois, Montana, New
Mexico, Oklahoma and
Texas. CenteringPregnancy is an
evidence-based, group prenatal care service delivery model shown to
improve birth outcomes.
- Collaborating with the health care incubator Matter for the
second cohort of 51 Labs – which is working with ten startups to
address the maternal mortality crisis in the United States.
- In Texas:
- Supporting distribution of 14,000 six-month supplies of
prenatal vitamins and minerals through Vitamin Angels.
- Collaborating with Huston-Tillotson University to train doulas,
midwives, lactation consultants and support maternal health
education.
- Funding a March of Dimes Mom & Baby Mobile Health Center to
increase access to maternal and infant care in Houston.
- Working with tech-enabled platforms Delfina and InovCares
to support maternal health providers and mothers with tools to
promote healthier pregnancies and birth outcomes.
- Collaborating with the Texas Pediatric Society to offer
professional education for primary care providers and
pediatricians, along with other resources, with the shared goal to
improve outcomes for mothers and babies statewide.
After Illinois, HCSC next plans
to launch its expanded maternal and infant health initiative in
New Mexico later in 2024.
About Health Care Service Corporation
Health Care Service Corporation serves nearly 23 million people
across the United States through
its portfolio of health benefit solutions. HCSC provides health
coverage options for employers large and small, individuals and
families, and Medicare and Medicaid plans. HCSC also offers related
health care products and services such as pharmacy solutions, life
and dental insurance, and health data technology.
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SOURCE Health Care Service Corporation