Here’s how Babyscripts is helping OB-GYNs care for pregnant patients during COVID-19

Georgetown-based, venture-backed digital health startup Babyscripts is ramping up its operations to help OB-GYNs across the country deliver virtual care to their pregnant patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Babyscripts is the developer of a virtual care platform for managing obstetrics. The company’s platform helps OB-GYNs deliver prenatal care using web devices for remote monitoring to manage pregnancies virtually and detect risks quicker. Babyscripts partners directly with doctors.

Due to the global crisis, Babyscripts reports seeing an increased demand from new and existing customers to gain access to its platform and offerings. Babyscripts cofounder and President Juan Pablo Segura told Technical.ly that since the shelter-in-place announcements went into effect in the middle of March, the company’s daily enrollment by providers grew by an average of 700%.

“There is clearly an urgency to put a virtual plan in place to manage patients through this pandemic and we are helping the OBGYN community make the transition to tech-enabled practices as quickly and smoothly as possible through sharing best practices and experienced guidance,” said Segura.

The reported demand aligns with the nationwide push for increased access to telemedicine as one method to flatten the curve of the pandemic. Similarly, Arlington, Virginia-based Advantia Health told Technical.ly last week it was making telemedicine available to all 450,000 of its patients for the first time.

With its remote patient monitoring platform, Babyscripts reports that it has safely reduced the amount of in-person, prenatal visits for low-risk patients to four to six appointments from the standard 12 to 14, while allowing doctors to deliver their usual level of care. Patients who have access to Babyscripts’ offerings also receive a Mommy Kit which includes a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled blood pressure cuff and weight scale.

A Babyscripts Mommy Kit. (Courtesy photo)

“Our tools monitor women for elevated risk and are integrated into the provider’s triage operation so that if anything is wrong, we can alert the provider in real time of a potential problem,” Segura said. “This is crucial when providers have introduced gaps in between visits to around eight weeks where before COVID, the greatest gap was four weeks.”

Babyscripts’ mobile app, myJourney, now provides pregnant patients with up-to-date information on COVID-19 including symptoms to look out for, where to find testing sites, changing policies around hospital visitations and the like. Patients can also regularly update their profiles with their blood pressure and weight for doctors to monitor.

“We are finding that patients are more engaged with our tools during this time because it is a way to connect with their provider of care, stay up to date with COVID news and resources, and manage concerns and questions about their own health,” said Segura.

Last month, Babyscipts also launched a partnership with the George Washington Medical Faculty Associates to disseminate relevant information about COVID-19. As the pandemic lingers, Babyscripts said it will continue to work with healthcare providers to establish protocols and deliver digital solutions to mothers and newborn babies.

This editorial article is a part of Technical.ly's Healthcare Technologies Month of our editorial calendar.