HUDSON, N.Y., December 10, 2024 – UTMHealthcare, a leading innovator in remote patient monitoring (RPM) technology, today announced a strategic five-year partnership with Care New England Health System’s Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island to advance the Rhode Island-Statewide Postpartum Hypertension Remote Surveillance (RI-SPHERES) project. This initiative aims to improve health outcomes for postpartum individuals with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) while addressing health disparities across Rhode Island.
Since November of 2022, the Hypertension Equity Program at Women & Infants
Hospital has been helping to reduce maternal morbidity and hospital readmissions related to postpartum hypertension overall and improve health equity among our patients with hypertension. The program provides patients with blood pressure cuffs and the hospital’s team educates the patients on how to take their blood pressure at home.
Now, the Hypertension Equity Program is expanding statewide thanks to a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and this partnership with UTMHealthcare, a leading innovator in remote patient monitoring (RPM) technology. RI-SPHERES integrates UTMHealthcare’s secure, scalable RPM platform to enable remote blood pressure monitoring for postpartum patients, offering both app-based and app-less experiences. This flexibility allows participants to utilize connected devices, ensuring accessibility for patients regardless of smartphone ownership or technical proficiency. By reducing barriers to participation, the program aims to empower patients and ensure timely interventions.
“Postpartum hypertension is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality, particularly within the first year after delivery,” said Seth Lachterman, a partner and co-founder of UTMHealthcare and its parent company, YouThisMe. “Our collaboration with Care New England brings cutting-edge technology and compassionate care together to address this critical issue, supporting healthier outcomes for families across Rhode Island.”
UTMHealthcare’s HIPAA-compliant RPM platform allows patients to self-monitor their blood pressure using devices that transmit data securely and seamlessly to care managers and clinicians. These tools provide real-time insights, enabling immediate interventions when necessary and facilitating referrals for long-term preventive care.
“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to harnessing innovative care models to eliminate disparities in maternal health,” said Dr. Methodius Tuuli, the Chace-Joukowsky Professor and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Women & Infants Hospital. “RI-SPHERES is designed to reduce both short- and long-term complications for postpartum patients, creating a healthier future for families across the state.”
Dr. Adam Lewkowitz, principal investigator for RI-SPHERES and Assistant Professor in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Women & Infants Hospital, highlighted the importance of this initiative. “By combining advanced remote monitoring technologies with a comprehensive care model, we can better address the unique challenges of postpartum hypertension,” said Dr. Lewkowitz. “This collaboration allows us to provide personalized care to patients in their homes, breaking down barriers to access and improving health outcomes for some of our most vulnerable populations.”
Key objectives of the partnership include:
– Enhancing Maternal Health: Leveraging technology to deliver proactive care and address hypertension-related risks during the critical postpartum period.
– Eliminating Disparities: Expanding access to care for vulnerable populations disproportionately affected by postpartum hypertension.
– Scalable Implementation: Creating a model that can be replicated in other
states, advancing the field of maternal health on a national scale.
The RI-SPHERES initiative builds on UTMHealthcare’s proven track record in chronic condition management and its commitment to improving outcomes through technology-driven, patient-centered solutions.
About UTMHealthcare
UTMHealthcare is a trusted provider of remote patient monitoring solutions, offering HIPAA-compliant platforms designed to enhance patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and simplify care delivery. For more information, visit www.utmhealthcare.com.
About Women & Infants Hospital
Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, a Care New England hospital, is one of the nation’s leading specialty hospitals for women and newborns. A major teaching affiliate of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University for obstetrics, gynecology, and newborn pediatrics, as well as a number of specialized programs in women’s medicine, Women & Infants is the ninth largest stand-alone obstetrical service in the country and the largest in New England with approximately 8,700 deliveries per year. Women & Infants is a Designated Baby-Friendly® USA hospital and was recently ranked by Newsweek as one of America’s Best Maternity Hospitals in 2024. The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology ranked 11 in U.S. News & World Report’s 2019 Best Medical Schools specialty ranking.
Women & Infants has been designated as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiography; a Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecology; and a Neonatal Resource Services Center of Excellence. It is one of the largest and most prestigious research facilities in high-risk and normal obstetrics, gynecology, and newborn pediatrics in the nation, and is a member of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Maternal Fetal Medicine Units Network, and Pelvic Floors Disorders Network, as well as the National Cancer Institute’s Gynecologic Oncology Group.
For media inquiries, please contact:
UTMHealthcare, Keegan Bailey, Advisor
Phone: 518.596.2529
Email: keegan@navastehealth.com