Pittsburgh-based Gateway Health Plan launched a pilot program to offer Pacify, a telehealth mobile application, to new and expectant mothers enrolled in Pennsylvania's Medicaid program.
The health insurer is offering Pacify's services to 1,000 patients. Users can connect with Gateway Health maternity case managers, a 24-hour nurse line and lactation consultants through the app. Through the partnership, the organizations aim to increase new mothers' access to assistance during nighttime hours when they are likely to have the least help.
"A service capable of offering 24-7 consulting is capable of not only reassuring worried mothers but would also greatly reduce unnecessary emergency services and their accompanying expenses," Gateway Health Medical Director Lakshmi Reddy, MD, said in a news release.
Gateway Health can also send pre-programmed messages to app users throughout their child's first year to remind them of healthcare needs, such as vaccinations and wellness exams.