“Try not to move so much during this next contraction so I can take your COVID-19 sample” was one of the phrases I had not planned on hearing prior to March 2020 as I was preparing for the birth of my first child in June. Neither was my midwife asking mesix weeks post-partum“Can you adjustyour phoneso we can begin your breast exam over zoom?”or“Now lie on your back and pushfingers under your belly button to see if we can determine the size of yourdiastasisrecti…virtually”while I fumbled with my phone. We both laughed while we tried to make the best of the situation at hand, which would have been impossible for both of us to picturejustmonths earlier.
Being pregnant, giving birth, and becoming a working mom during COVID-19 has been a bumpy ride, but one of the silver linings for those of uslucky to haveaccess to digitalinterventionsis the flexibility and comfort they have broughtin a very uncertain time.Without digital tools, I would havebeencompletely isolatedfrom friends and family, limited my access to healthcarefor myself and the baby,anda mindful returntotelework would have been impossible.
Once the pandemic hit,I wastrulyimpressed by how my providers introduced new and harnessed existing digital tools to ensure continuity of my care.Within a period of less than two weeks, I had received clear guidance regarding when I would be seen in person and when I would be seen remotely and had a digital blood pressure monitor and scale which I used to share data with my care team.This device proved critical, as my blood pressure became elevated during the last few weeks of mypregnancy andallowed me to be connected to my care team from the comfort of my kitchen.
Many of my providers also started to work from homefor their own safety, but they still had access to my health information due to the use of electronic health records. Using apersonal health record system allowed me to communicate with my care team, ask questions, and receive lab resultson my phone.Private and secure mental health services were availableto me through the clickof a button and remote check-in toolsallowed me to stay in my car while filling out paperwork from my cellphone as I waited forthe waiting room to clear at the pediatrician’s officeto reduce exposure.
These are clear example ofhowdigital health interventions can create value.Of course, not all services worked well virtually;my virtual village couldn’t help with night feedingsandI needed hands-on support from a lactation consultantto get my baby to latch,butdigital tools canaugment and complementthe in-personservices;according to the CDC, telehealth visits increased 50% in the first quarter of 2020in the US.This shift is much more than just downloading an app,it is, rather, a reflection of how much we can digitally transform health services when people, processes, and technology are aligned.
Beyond thevirtualvillage: building resilient digital health systems forLACwith and forwomen
Although access to healthcare in the LAC region hasgenerallyincreased, we know that accessto basic services like prenatal carevaries by income and location and care, in general, ismore limited for populations that are disadvantaged because oftheirgender, ethnicity,ordisability.Pregnancy is also more dangerousduringpublic health emergencies;the Ebola outbreakrestricted access to family planning, prenatal careandhospitalbirths,and researchersestimate that COVID-19couldcauseanywherefroman8.3–38.6% increase in maternal deaths per month, across 118 LMIC countries.Telehealth can improvewomen’sreproductivehealthand many countries in LAC are using it to expand access.These tools may play an important role in the mental health crisis we are also facing;the pandemic has causeddramatic increases(29% to 72%) in the anxiety of pregnant women and new moms, andas womenrepresent 70% of the health and social care workforceworldwide,manyaresufferingfrom anxiety, depression, and burnoutdue to the crisis.
Digital interventions can be a powerful tool for LAC, but wemustmake intentionalchoicestoensurethat our digital health transformationsare inclusive, equitable,anddon’t leave women behind.We need to identifyandcorrectdata bias against womensuch as the onesI experiencedduring my pregnancy.Prior to COVID-19, womenwere frustrated and exhausted from designing workarounds to systemsthatweren’tdesigned for their needs.As we move forward,we need to ensurethat our investments arecreating valuefor women. The only way we can do that is to design our digital transformationswithwomenand prioritize the problemswomen want solved.
In honor or international women’s month, you can join IDB by recognizing the digital health leaders in the Americas, nominating women digital healthchampionshere.
https://blogs.iadb.org/salud/en/attention-we-are-looking-for-women-leaders-in-digital-health/