CareSource Georgia, a nonprofit managed care organization, has announced a collaboration with Georgia Family Connection Partnership (GaFCP), an organization that brings local and state-level leaders, and resources together to improve the well-being of children and families. CareSource awarded GaFCP a $100,000 grant to improve maternal and infant health outcomes in rural Georgia through technology-driven engagement and community-based collaboration. 

Limited access to care in rural areas often places pregnant and postpartum mothers, and their infants, at greater risk for poor health outcomes. Maternal mortality rates in rural Georgia are up to 2.5 times higher than in urban areas. In maternity care deserts, which lack essential maternity resources and make up 42% of the state, women must travel twice as far to reach the nearest obstetric hospital. To help close these gaps, the new initiative will embed the GoMo Health platform, creating a virtual engagement hub that coordinates health communication and patient support among CareSource members, care teams and local community organizations.

“Improving health outcomes requires us to connect with individuals in their own environments, both geographically and in terms of their engagement with care," said Dr. Nguyen, market chief medical officer, CareSource Georgia. “By combining digital outreach with trusted community connections, we remove traditional barriers to care for families in real time. We believe this connected and responsive model will support healthier moms and babies, especially in communities with limited access to resources.”

GoMo Health leverages behavioral science and data to provide personalized, real-time support for members, as well as their providers and care partners. Initially, the program will focus on 12 Georgia counties, eight of which will include participants currently using remote patient monitoring for gestational hypertension and/or diabetes. Connected monitoring devices will be integrated into the GoMo Health platform to create a seamless, personalized care experience.

The program has three goals:

• Enhance engagement by connecting remote patient monitoring devices to the GoMo Health platform.

• Address social and emergent needs in real time through proactive digital outreach.

• Create virtual community hubs that connect CareSource members to GaFCP partners and resources. 

“Communities thrive when families are healthy,” said Gaye Smith, executive director, GaFCP. “Georgia’s 10.2% low birthweight rate is well above the national rate of 8.6%, which is already higher than the rate for most developed nations. This matters because low birthweight is the strongest predictor of infant mortality and provides insight into the state of women’s overall health. The support and vision of CareSource have been essential in bringing this partnership to life. Combining the power of technology with the strength of local relationships has better equipped us to improve maternal and infant health in rural Georgia and across the state.”

Together, CareSource and GaFCP aim to create a replicable model that reduces emergency department visits and hospital stays while promoting better pregnancies, healthier births and stronger communities across rural Georgia.