Dignity Health Methodist Hospital of Sacramento Pilot Program Exceeds Expectations for Maternal Monitoring

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (October 10, 2023) – Dignity Health Methodist Hospital of Sacramento, in partnership with its parent company CommonSpirit Health, recently concluded a successful pilot program aimed at addressing maternal mortality. The hospital care team monitored and treated 50 patients with hypertension in just a few short weeks. 

One leading cause of maternal mortality is due to hypertension in pregnancy. Hypertension in pregnancy can increase the risk of seizures, stroke, temporary kidney failure, liver problems and blood clotting problems for mom, and can prevent the baby from receiving enough nutrients from the placenta, which can cause premature birth, low birth weight and stillbirth. Data shows that keeping maternal blood pressure well controlled during pregnancy and postpartum are critically important in reducing the negative effects of hypertension on mom and baby.  

Historically, doctors have only seen their patient’s blood pressure when they come to the office or hospital until now. This new, one-of-a-kind virtual care hypertension monitoring pilot program was just launched at Methodist Hospital of Sacramento resulting in much better monitoring and outcomes for patients. 

“We are committed to addressing the root causes of maternal mortality and supporting every mother’s journey to motherhood,” said Phyllis Baltz, President and CEO of Methodist Hospital of Sacramento. “This pilot program is a significant and positive step for the future of obstetrics and I am extremely grateful to our incredible team for their commitment.” 

The mechanics of the program: 

• Remote CommonSpirit Health nurses monitor the patients blood pressures in real time and respond if their blood pressure requires prompt intervention. 
• The doctor also gets a weekly update of their home pressures to make adjustments in their medication as needed.  
• Not only are we getting data much faster, but the clinical team is intervening on mom and baby's behalf much sooner.  

Because of its success, this pilot program will extend beyond the walls of Methodist Hospital of Sacramento to other sister facilities in the coming months. 

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About Dignity Health 

Dignity Health is a multi-state nonprofit network of 10,000 physicians, more than 60,000 employees, 41 acute care hospitals, and 400-plus care-centers, including community hospitals, urgent care, surgery and imaging centers, home health, and primary care clinics in Arizona, California, and Nevada. Dignity Health is dedicated to providing compassionate, high-quality, and affordable 

patient-centered care with special attention to the poor and underserved. Dignity Health is a part of CommonSpirit Health, a nonprofit health system committed to advancing health for all people and dedicated to serving the common good. For more information, please visit our website at www.DignityHealth.org.