Closing Women's Care Gaps: OSF HealthCare's OnCall Connect Program

A new program is making a difference in women's health outcomes, says this CFO.

Balancing clinical outcomes with financial sustainability is a difficult task, and CFOs are constantly on the prowl for new strategies. One avenue worth examining is the impact a health system is making on women's health.

CFOs need to examine sustainable financial strategies for boosting women's health outcomes. This could be as simple as more education opportunities, to as complex as pivoting care models for more streamlined care and better outcomes.

At OSF HealthCare, newly appointed chief financial officer Kirsten Largent is proud to share the strides the health system has made in women's health.

OSF HealthCare's program OSF OnCall Connect provides support to pregnant women with Medicaid insurance, and it's seen major success.

How it works

Available through the OSF OnCall Connect app, the pregnancy-postpartum program connects patients to a nurse instantly. The app provides several types of support, including : chronic condition monitoring, health and wellness education, and pregnancy care and postpartum support, which gives the user 24/7 access to specially trained nurses and advanced practice providers.

The program also provides OSF OnCall Advanced Care, which gives 24/7 access to a care team by phone or a tablet. Personalized care and support is designed with the patient's specific needs in mind, and then connects them to the right resources. The patient also has access to other health care providers, such as social workers, pharmacists and dietitians, as needed.

Users of the program have 24/7 support through the app, and receive information and education for each week of their pregnancy and for during their postpartum time.

This program is one that is supported through OSF HealthCare's work with the state of Illinois Department of Health and Human Services called Medicaid Innovation Collaboration (MIC).

Results

Kirsten Largent, newly appointed CFO as OSF HealthCare, couldn't be prouder of how the program has helped patients. Largent explains this area as one that ties back into the organization's strong focus on community and wellness.

"We are allocating our funds to address women's health needs across the ministry, and we do have a dedicated service line to women's services," Largent recently told HealthLeaders. "We think about where we're investing and looking at access for women's services and also promoting wellness."

Kate Johnson, clinical supervisor for Digital Care at OSF, says 4,938 women have signed up for the pregnancy and postpartum program since it was launched in August of 2023. With  688 actively enrolled, Johnson says pregnant women, especially those who have a lack of resources, are eager to have the 24/7 connection offered through an app they can download on their smart phone or tablet, according to a press release.

"I think what we're seeing mostly is patients who are struggling with transportation to get to their actual OB provider appointments," Johnson said, "so we are able to align transportation for them in most cases."

Why Focus Just on Women's Health?

Women often suffer worse health outcomes than their male counterparts. With factors like longer life spans and more reproductive health care needs, women often require more intensive care, but that doesn't always play out.

Women are generally 20% to 30% more likely to be misdiagnosed than white men, and one study even found that women are 50% more likely to be misdiagnosed when having a heart attack.

This gap in women's healthcare also has economic consequences. A report by McKinsey found that in 2020, for example, only 1% of healthcare research and innovation was invested in female-specific conditions beyond oncology. But according to that same report, every $1 invested in women's health would return around $3 in economic growth.

Negative pregnancy outcomes are a particular disparity in women's healthcare, and in the United States, pregnant Black women are three times more likely than white women to die as a result of pregnancy.

Additionally, as the country prepares for an administration change, many women are concerned about their access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare and are preparing for regulatory changes in this area.

By investing in resources that create access to education and support for pregnant and postpartum women, whether that's an app, a partnership or beyond, CFOs can help lead the way towards better wellness outcomes for this group of patients. These investments in turn could boost women's health outcomes and prevent unnecessary readmissions and misdiagnosis, as well as create supportive mental health care for these patients.