Addressing diabetes in pregnancy with personalized journeys, connected devices and health advocates
While many are aware of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes may be a new term to some. Working with moms for more than a decade, Wildflower Health knows how crucially important it is for pregnant women to know about gestational diabetes. We also understand how managing diabetes in pregnancy calls for help and support in all aspects of a pregnant woman’s experience, including daily testing, meal and snack planning, and supporting mental and emotional health.
Diabetes During Pregnancy Journey
Designed in partnership with OB GYNs and based on ACOG guidelines, Wildflower journeys provide evidence-based support for pregnancy conditions like diabetes and hypertension. Wildflower’s diabetes journey supports patients with type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes. These journeys are personalized for each patient, promote continuity of care, and enable providers to intervene early when high-risk patients need help.
Personalization in the experience can follow a journey like this:
- All patients are reminded between week 24 and 28 to have their GD screening.
- If diagnosed with GD, they’ll begin to see more content, tools and tips to support their GD care.
- Patients have GD-specific content in their app, including actionable reminders about their care team’s resources, an introduction to the in-app glucose tracker, and a messages from their Health Advocate.
- Throughout their pregnancy and for a year postpartum, relevant educational articles and resources cover every aspect of condition management.
Providing support through Health Advocates and RPM
Connected support (RPM & trackers)
Continuously assessing risk through remote monitoring devices and app tracker usage
Health Advocates
Serving as an extension of clinical care teams and a trusted resource for patients
Understanding the clinical and economic impact can play a major role in how we address diabetes as a society. In parallel, providing compassionate patient care that also considers the day-to-day needs of patients can yield significant long-term results. Wildflower Health provides support to and collaboration with clinical care teams for early diagnoses, ongoing blood glucose testing and tracking, and effective treatments, with goals of healthy deliveries and reduction of long-term effects. Below are just a few examples of how this collaborative care model supports patients.
Removing silos in disconnected care
RESULTS
- Prescribed a glucometer and monitoring
- Signed up for Health Coaching
- Connections to employer’s diabetes program
- Navigating the healthcare system to enroll the patient in needed care
Learn more about Alice
Alice was determined that this pregnancy would be different. When a Wildflower Health Advocate met Alice, she had recently been prescribed a glucometer for her diabetes. We learned that Alice experienced complications in her previous pregnancies including preeclampsia, diabetes, C-section and pregnancy loss.
Alice immediately and diligently used her device, where her Health Advocate could see Alice’s critical lows and multiple high measurements. As a part of the support offered to better manage her diabetes the Health Advocate enrolled Alice in Wildflower’s coaching and researched her employer-sponsored diabetes management program, which Alice did not know was available to employees.
In helping Alice to enroll, we discovered the convoluted and siloed care that many patients might experience. Alice had multiple OBs to work through, and her PCP who was not originally informed of her pregnancy. The Wildflower team connected with the PCP so they had awareness into Alice’s glucose measurements. In return, the PCP called Alice that same day to check in and assess the appropriateness for Insulin management. Our Wildflower team made several calls to the OB office so they could send a referral to the employer’s diabetes program.
Timely escalations to much-needed care
RESULTS
- Partnered with the same Health Advocate through her whole pregnancy
- Remote monitoring
- Key and timely referrals to care
- SDoH risk factors identified, with connections to transportation and meal services
Learn more about Lenore
During her second trimester, Lenore was referred to Wildflower for a variety of support needs, including a glucometer for her Gestational Diabetes. RPM is just one way her Health Advocate could support her in having a healthy pregnancy and baby. This also opened the door for more conversations and support that Lenore desperately needed.
Within her provider’s mobile app, Lenore was able to communicate with her Health Advocate through Message Center or over the phone regularly, and in her preferred Spanish language. More support needs were identified due to Lenore’s in-app survey results, including elevated EPDS results and a positive SDoH screening.
Lenore shared her problems with running out of food and not being able to pay for her utility bills. Many times, she chose to spend money on transportation to her prenatal visits, rather than on food and bills. Instead of continuing to pay $80 for rideshare to her appointments, her Health Advocate worked with her to get free transportation for Medicaid members, and get Lenore the WIC benefits she and baby would need.
For Lenore’s clinical care, escalations and referrals were critical in ensuring baby was delivered healthy. In addition to regular high blood sugar measurements, Lenore experienced bleeding and decreased fetal movement. She was immediately referred to the ER and her Advocate contacted her provider. Similar steps were taken for Lenore’s shortness of breath.
Lenore recently delivered her baby, and is still in contact with her same Health Advocate
to support her and baby into postpartum.
Learn more
As a key partner in raising awareness and working towards solutions for women experiencing diabetes during pregnancy, Wildflower would like to provide you and your organization with our Diabetes in Pregnancy Resource Toolkit.
By providing your information, you'll have access to:
+ A discussion of the diabetes diagnosis, treatment and impact, with analysis from the CDC and ACOG
+ Sample articles from our diabetes in pregnancy resource library that you are free to use with your population
+ Additional details about Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) care management between Wildflower and providers
Resources to raise awareness and make connections
AHS & WILDFLOWER
Accountable care is changing women's healthcare
Healthcare organizations are increasingly being held accountable for the health outcomes of patients. Accountable care – or value-based care – offers the promise of better collaboration among care partners and more personalized care plans for patients, particularly in maternity care. Wildflower's CEO & Founder Leah Sparks joined Atlantic Medical Group’s OBGYN and Ambulatory Director Fatima Naqvi to discuss in this podcast.
COACHES CONNECT
Health Coaches create a safe space for maternity patients
No matter how coaches connect with patients - digitally, telephonically, immediately, scheduled - building rapport is at the core of the relationship. Coaching within the medical landscape includes the very special symbiosis between a patient’s Health Coach, Health Advocate, and their OB, which is key to the care coordination model powered by Wildflower. Open communication paves the way for greater outcomes, especially in women’s health.
RISK STRATIFICATION
Finding and Supporting
High-Risk Pregnancies
Traditional methods for stratifying risk in healthcare aren’t dynamic or comprehensive enough to ensure success. Here’s how Wildflower approaches risk stratification in maternity care, and what we’ve learned from our model. It’s not enough to screen patients early or upon some discrete event. You need to continuously monitor for risk throughout the pregnancy and dynamically respond to changes in their risk score.
Ushering in a New Era for Women’s Health
Wildflower is a technology and services company that is transforming care delivery and payment models in women’s health to radically improve outcomes. We meet providers and payers where they are to accelerate their journey to value.
Join us at wildflowerhealth.com.