Ovia Health and MGM Resorts Partner to Help High-Risk Pregnant Employees Monitor Blood Pressure from Home

Ovia Health, the most trusted family health virtual platform, and MGM Resorts International, a global hospitality and entertainment company, have partnered to create a new virtual program aimed at decreasing adverse maternal and child health outcomes among high-risk employee populations.

Eligible pregnant MGM Resorts Health Plan members who enroll in Ovia Health’s preeclampsia or hypertension programming will receive free, WiFi-enabled blood pressure cuffs. These cuffs allow members to measure their daily blood pressure levels proactively and input their data into the Ovia Pregnancy app-based program, which then alerts them of any concerning data trends.

“Self-monitoring during pregnancy is more crucial than ever before. In our peer-reviewed study with March of Dimes, we discovered that 20% of prenatal appointments during the pandemic were modified, moved online or canceled,” said Ovia Health Co-founder Gina Nebesar. “This is when biometrics are typically monitored and evaluated, so by delivering devices to people at risk for hypertension and preeclampsia, expecting parents can have more frequent and deeper insights into their pregnancy health in between episodic visits.”

The program is not intended to replace external monitoring according to a healthcare provider’s recommendations, but rather to supplement it by offering members feedback in real time, as well as rich visualizations to analyze and flag potential concerns. Members are also encouraged to share their data with their healthcare providers to better monitor their hypertension or preeclampsia risks over time.

“We are proud to partner with Ovia Health to provide best-in-class preeclampsia and hypertension resources to our pregnant plan members, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Tamra Lynn, Director of Clinical Programs and Case Management at MGM Resorts International. “We saw a need and worked with Ovia to develop a process that they were able to use with other companies as well; this is a time for our communities to come together, and in a way, we’re doing just that.”

“The ability for Ovia to help members monitor their health at home during the pandemic – and on an ongoing basis – is critical. Our collaboration with MGM Resorts is the first of many programs of its kind, all aimed at making members active participants in their own healthcare and helping healthcare providers transition from reactive to anticipatory healthcare. The challenge in diagnosing preeclampsia is that the clinical signs can be nonspecific, so early-detection and a preventative approach is crucial,” said Nebesar.

Ovia Health is starting this program with a focus on preeclampsia prevention among vulnerable populations. Throughout 2021, Ovia will be rolling out additional clinical programming that goes beyond the digital health space, utilizing remote monitoring devices and other means to empower members with proactive measures and increase their chances of preventing adverse and costly health outcomes.