【德勤Deloitte】2024数字化工具如何助力母婴健康研究报告

Summary of Maternal Health Inequities and Digital Tools

Core Content

Maternal health remains a critical issue in the United States, where it has the highest maternal mortality rate among developed countries. Racial disparities persist, with Black women being three times more likely to experience maternal mortality than White women. These inequities stem from unequal access to care and culturally insensitive services. Digital tools have the potential to improve maternal health outcomes by enhancing access, communication, and care management, but they must be designed with cultural sensitivity and equity in mind to be effective.

Main Points

• Digital Tools and Maternal Health: Digital tools such as patient portals, mobile health apps, and telemedicine can improve access to care, communication with providers, and management of specific health needs. Over 70% of respondents use digital tools to manage health, including monitoring reproductive cycles, weight, mental health, and education.

• Cultural Tailoring and Equity: There is a significant gap in how well digital tools meet the needs of different racial and ethnic groups. Black, mixed-race, and Hispanic respondents were nearly twice as likely as White respondents to say digital tools did not align with their cultural background or personal needs. Culturally informed care, including language support and shared lived experiences, is crucial for improving trust and engagement.

• Equity-Centered Design: Over 80% of survey respondents believe that individuals with lived experience should be involved in the design and development of maternal health digital tools. This includes participation before, during, and after the creation of these tools. Equity-centered design ensures that tools are not only accessible but also responsive to the needs of marginalized communities.

• Challenges with Access and Use: Despite their potential, digital tools can be difficult to access and use. Respondents highlighted the need for lower costs, better integration and interoperability, and less information overload. These challenges must be addressed to ensure that digital tools do not add to the burden of maternal health care.

• Trust, Privacy, and Data Use: Trust in digital tools is essential. Patient portals were perceived as the most accurate and unbiased, while wearables and mobile health apps had room for improvement in this regard. Consumers also expressed concerns about how their data is used, emphasizing the need for transparency and control.

• Regulatory and Governance Support: The White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis provides a framework for promoting equitable digital transformation. However, governance challenges, such as fragmented ownership and unclear roles, hinder progress. Overcoming these requires collaboration and shared responsibility across departments and organizations.

• Digital Tools Are Not a Cure-All: While digital tools can enhance care, they are not a standalone solution. Maternal health inequities require a multifaceted approach that includes in-person care and coordinated efforts across the health ecosystem. The human aspect of care must not be lost in digital innovation.

• Coordination Across the Ecosystem: Addressing maternal health inequities requires collaboration between health systems, tech developers, employers, and regulatory bodies. Stakeholders should work together to ensure that digital tools are integrated into a broader, patient-centered strategy.

Key Information

• Survey Findings: A survey of 2,000 US respondents (ages 18–54) who were pregnant in the past two years showed that digital tools are widely used, with 49% used for scheduling and 36% for communication with care teams.

• Cultural Disparities: Black, mixed-race, and Hispanic respondents were more likely to feel that digital tools did not meet their needs or align with their cultural background. This highlights the importance of culturally informed care and design.

• Digital Tools and Stillbirth Prevention: Tools like Count the Kicks, which helps parents monitor fetal movements, have shown success in reducing stillbirth rates, particularly among Black mothers in Iowa.

• InnovCares: A maternal health app that connects users with culturally aligned providers and offers remote monitoring, health assessments, and community support. It emphasizes equity-centered design and involves users in all stages of development.

• Irth: A community-driven platform that enables users to review and rate providers, promoting transparency and accountability in maternal health care.

• Regulatory Momentum: The White House Blueprint supports digital innovation in maternal health and aims to increase access to digital tools for equitable care.

• Economic Impact: Poor maternal health has economic consequences, with nearly 1.5 million mothers leaving the workforce in 2021 due to lack of access to care. This highlights the need for cross-sector collaboration to support maternal health.

Conclusion

Digital tools can be a valuable part of the solution to maternal health inequities, but they must be designed with cultural sensitivity, ease of use, and equity in mind. The integration of patient voices, community input, and cross-sector collaboration is essential to ensure that these tools effectively support all women, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, throughout their pregnancy journey.