Peterson Health Technology Institute to Evaluate Virtual Maternity Care Solutions

NEW YORK —

The Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI) will conduct an independent evaluation of virtual solutions designed to support maternal health, assessing both their clinical effectiveness and economic impact. PHTI’s evaluations help health plans, employers, and providers make informed purchasing decisions about digital health technologies that may improve health outcomes, expand access to care, and reduce healthcare spending.

The United States faces a maternal health crisis. The U.S. maternal mortality rate far exceeds that of other developed countries, with 17.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared with an average of 5.1 deaths per 100,000 in peer nations. Access to maternity care also remains uneven across the country. More than 2.3 million women live in maternity care deserts and one in three U.S. counties lacks obstetric clinicians, making it difficult for many patients to access timely prenatal and postpartum care.

“The United States has appalling maternal health outcomes, with high rates of C-sections and preterm births that place families at risk and increase healthcare spending,” said Caroline Pearson, Executive Director of PHTI. “Virtual solutions aim to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce costs for employers and Medicaid. These programs also seek to deliver comprehensive support to women during one of their most significant healthcare experiences.”

Pregnancy and childbirth are major cost drivers within the healthcare system. Recent data show that preterm births in the U.S. account for an estimated $25 billion annually, while pregnancy-related complications result in more than $32 billion in spending.

Health plans, employers, and Medicaid programs are seeking more effective solutions to manage these costs and ensure consistent care for mothers and infants. Digital health technologies are emerging as tools to support patients and clinicians across the maternal care continuum, augmenting or, in some cases, substituting aspects of standard in-person care by expanding access to services, providing education and monitoring between visits, and helping coordinate multidisciplinary care, particularly in areas experiencing provider shortages.

PHTI’s evaluation will examine the evidence for virtual maternity care solutions across payer types, including commercial and Medicaid populations. The maternal health assessment will be released in 2026 as part of PHTI’s ongoing series of independent evaluations of digital health technologies. Previous PHTI reports have assessed solutions for gastrointestinal conditions, opioid use disorder, depression and anxiety, hypertension management, musculoskeletal care, and diabetes management.

PHTI is convening a series of workshops examining the emerging role of artificial intelligence in healthcare delivery and administration. Bringing together leaders from health systems, health plans, technology developers, academia, investment firms, and federal agencies, the series explores the requirements for the safe, effective, and scalable adoption of AI across the healthcare system. Insights from these workshops will inform a series of reports aimed at helping healthcare stakeholders evaluate and responsibly adopt AI-enabled technologies. The first report, which explores evidence standards, performance monitoring, and policies needed to build confidence in autonomous clinical AI, is available here. Additional reports focused on AI applications in administrative functions and payment models will be released in the coming months.