Grant Application

Glenn Updike, MD, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital

Proposed Innovation

During pregnancy, women need regular checkups with their doctor or midwife to ensure a healthy outcome for themselves and their babies. Typically, these in-person prenatal visits require expectant mothers to travel to an office on a regular basis.

Through this innovative project, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital will launch a pilot program to test the feasibility of a systemwide Virtual Prenatal Care program.

Improvements in Action

The goal of this program is to offer a convenient way for women with low-risk pregnancies to receive the prenatal care they need from the comfort of their home or work setting. Through this pilot, one-third of the traditional in-office prenatal visits will be conducted virtually through the MyUPMC patient portal using digital technology. Patients also will be provided with a home blood pressure monitor.

Intended Outcomes

The pilot program is expected to reduce the burden of in-person visits on pregnant patients — including travel time, missed work, childcare, and wait times — while maintaining the same level of superior clinical care. Data collected and patient surveys will be used to evaluate the program and patient satisfaction.