By Susan Torroella, CEO, ProgenyHealth
LinkedIn: Susan Torroella
LinkedIn: ProgenyHealth, LLC
As you read this, more than 6,000 apps are being downloaded, this happens every single second. Indeed, the average person hosts 80 different apps on their phone. And, as with so many aspects of life, people are increasingly turning to digital tools for healthcare information: about two-thirds of all Americans obtain at least some health information online, including over 50% of pregnant women. In 2023, over 1 million healthcare apps were downloaded every day.
Yet, while we have more access to information available in the palm of our hands, and more apps than ever, poor maternal outcomes persist. The U.S. ranks worst among all high-income nations. In this era of accessible information, an “app-first” approach to improve outcomes sounds prescient. But apps alone aren’t the answer. What’s missing is the human connection that makes technology actually work for new and expecting moms.
Why Health Apps Alone Fall Short
From instant access and personalized tracking to the convenience of managing your health on your own schedule, mobile health apps have a lot to offer. Health plans have invested heavily in these tools, including specialized experiences for pregnant women, recognizing that their members are already looking to their phones for answers.
But too many organizations have learned the hard way: simply launching an app does not guarantee it will be used, let alone make a positive impact on health outcomes. In fact, most health plans see only 3-5% app usage among their members. While the app sits on the home screen, it’s rarely integrated into an actual care journey.
As tools, the apps are only as effective as the support system built around it. Pregnant women aren’t just looking for information; they’re looking for guidance, reassurance, and someone who can help them make sense of what they’re experiencing. They need context for blood pressure readings, understanding about which symptoms warrant concern, and encouragement to follow through on important appointments and milestones.
When technology operates in isolation, it becomes just another notification without the depth, nuance, and expertise that actually helps drive positive change and outcome improvements.
Technology as an Extension of Maternal Care
An integrated approach changes everything. Forward-thinking organizations are using mobile apps as an extension of their case management programs, as assets that enhance human connection and relationships—rather than replacing them. This can make a world of difference for maternal health outcomes, from patient education and literacy, to uncovering and helping close gaps driven by social determinants of health (SDoH), identifying risk factors early, and providing continuous perinatal care.
In practice, technology and personalized touch go hand-in-hand. A case manager reaches out to a newly pregnant member, conducts an initial risk assessment, and introduces the mobile app as a shared tool they’ll reference together throughout the pregnancy journey. The app is a resource, a touchstone, a point of connection that keeps member and case manager connected between calls.
And, this can be essential. Galvanized by her connection with the case manager, a mom-to-be may feel more motivated to log her daily symptoms. In the second semester, she logs a persistent headache in the app. The case manager sees this pattern and reaches out proactively, potentially identifying a concerning trend before it erupts into crisis. Now, this member receives personalized reminders from a system that knows her—her specific symptoms, risk factors, and care plan. The app is no longer a generic “textbook,” it’s tailored to her stage, her health conditions, and informed by her medical history and the conversations she’s already had with her care team.
In this “high tech, high touch” approach, members and patients receive the best of both worlds: the precise tracking, reminding, and 24/7 access to information provided by technology, coupled with the listening, interpreting, supporting, and relationship building of dedicated, compassionate people. Together, they create an effect more powerful than either could achieve alone. From identifying risk factors and medical needs early to helping close gaps in food insecurity, transportation, and more, the combined approach ensures a whole person, personalized approach that is not possible with technology alone.
While the industry standard for app usage hovers in the single digits, programs that integrate apps with case management see engagement rates of 30% or higher among enrolled members. This is the power of putting technology to work for people, extending its value, and building relationships that help proactively manage ongoing care.
When Technology and Humanity Work Together
When human connection and technology work in tandem, the improvements extend beyond engagement and to a real measure of worth: health outcomes.
The impact of early, proactive outreach cannot be overstated. More than half of members enroll during their first or second trimester, when interventions can have the greatest effect. Risk assessment becomes continuous rather than a one-time checkbox. With regular touchpoints throughout pregnancy, case managers can identify and respond to emerging concerns, from rising blood pressure to signs of depression to social determinants of health that might have otherwise gone unnoticed. The app helps capture these signals and symptoms between conversations, helping to create a more complete picture of what’s happening in a member’s life.
With regular touchpoints and caring, compassionate case managers on the other side of the phone, members feel more comfortable sharing what’s really going on. When they report a life challenge, whether it’s housing instability, food insecurity, or mental health concerns, it’s because they trust that someone is listening and can actually help. Despite best intentions, that level of openness isn’t typically inspired by a chatbot.
In a recent case, an integrated high tech and high touch approach helped drive a 23% decrease in preterm births across the entire enrolled population. This represents hundreds of babies born healthier, families spared the emotional journey of a NICU stay, and millions in avoided healthcare costs from prevention instead of crisis intervention.
Healthier Maternal Outcomes Begin with Holistic Approaches
Rather than automate interactions, the healthcare industry has the opportunity to harness technology to help amplify its ability to care for new and expecting mothers across the entire pregnancy journey.
As organizations continue to invest in digital tools, the questions leaders ask should evolve. Instead of “can we build an app?” the question should become “how can this technology strengthen the relationship we build with our members or patients?” Truly transformative technology helps bridge the gap between people and the ones caring for them.
A holistic approach can do so much more for our moms-to-be: from helping to identify rising risk maternal cases to closing SDoH needs and improving the maternity care experience from positive test through the fourth trimester. Instead of choosing between high tech or high touch, it’s time to recognize that the best outcomes happen when we embrace both: innovation that enhances the irreplaceable value of human-led care.