HEART-BP awards will support community health center and birthing hospitals to improve patient experience and outcomes, lower costs, and address health inequities
Latest issue in HPC Shorts series focuses on severe maternal morbidity inequities in Massachusetts
BOSTON – Thursday, October 10, 2024 – Today, the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission (HPC) announced an investment of $1.5 million supporting obstetric service providers through the HEART-BP investment program. HEART-BP awards will facilitate remote blood pressure monitoring programs to support providers seeking to improve outcomes, lower costs, and address maternal health inequities.
Awardees and funding amounts include:
- Berkshire Medical Center: $299,788
- Beverly Hospital: $299,073
- Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center: $300,000
- Heywood Hospital: $300,000
- Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital: $300,000
The awardee programs share an emphasis on ensuring access for both rural communities and for populations with disproportionate prevalence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and risk of severe maternal morbidity (SMM), including Black non-Hispanic and Hispanic birthing people.
Complications of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy are a leading cause of SMM and readmissions, and HPC research found rates of SMM in Massachusetts are statistically significantly higher among people of color. SMM rates are highest for Black non-Hispanic birthing people, with a rate of SMM 2.5 times higher than White non-Hispanic birthing people.
SMM has significant impacts for patients and the health care system at large, including patient health consequences, increased medical costs, and longer hospital stays. Research suggests early intervention in hypertensive disorders may improve health outcomes and SMM, and that remote blood pressure monitoring can be an effective tool to enable adherence to blood pressure monitoring guidelines, address racial disparities in blood pressure control, and improve patient experience.
These awards, authorized by the HPC Board of Commissioners following a competitive application and review process, aim to:
- Support programs providing remote blood pressure monitoring for patients from birth to at least six weeks post-partum, which is the period of greatest risk of SMM.
- Improve access to care, experience of care, and outcomes for birthing people experiencing hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
- Reduce avoidable readmissions and emergency department visits associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
- Capture data and insights that can inform development of sustainable, scalable remote blood pressure monitoring programs across the Commonwealth.
“Severe maternal morbidity in Massachusetts is a health equity issue, with disproportionate impact on people of color, and with significant negative impacts for patients and the health care system at large,” said Barbara Blakeney, R.N., HPC Chair of the Care Delivery Transformation Committee. “Through HEART-BP, these awardees will address this alarming issue directly with patient-centered, equitably delivered remote blood pressure monitoring programs. We are excited to support this effort to improve access, health equity, and health outcomes for birthing people across the Commonwealth.”
“The Healey-Driscoll Administration has set an incredible example for the Commonwealth through Advancing Health Equity in Massachusetts (AHEM), an initiative aimed at eliminating racial, economic, and regional disparities in maternal health outcomes. We believe that the critical work of the HEART-BP investment program and its awardees follows the ambitious path set forth by AHEM in addressing health disparities for birthing people, especially in AHEM-designated priority communities,” said David Seltz, HPC Executive Director. “The HPC’s mission is to advance a more affordable, accountable, and equitable health care system for all Massachusetts residents, and the work of these awardee birthing hospitals and community health center will help to move this mission forward.”
HEART-BP, or Hypertensive disorders Equitably Addressed with Remote Technology for Birthing People, programs are anticipated to launch operations in winter 2025. More information on the awardee initiatives, including proposed programs and partners, can be found on the HPC’s website.
Alongside announcing the HEART-BP awardee programs at the October 10, 2024 HPC Board meeting, the HPC also released a complementary HPC Shorts episode, part of the video series featuring select data and findings on timely health policy topics. The new episode of HPC Shorts: Inequities in Severe Maternal Morbidity in Massachusetts highlights inequities in rates of SMM by race and ethnicity, as well as the spending and affordability implications of these adverse outcomes for birthing people in Massachusetts.
A recording of the Board meeting and presentation materials can be found on the HPC’s website.
