Women's Health
MSDC has long advocated for women's health protections, the rights of women physicians, and affordable care for women's issues. MSDC works closes with ACOG, AAFP, AAP, and other specialty organizations to craft local legislation that allows DC to be the best place to practice women's and maternal medicine.
In the face of a maternal mortality crisis in the District, engagement in these issues is more important than ever. Learn more about how MSDC is working to protect the health of women, mothers, and babies in all wards in the city.
MSDC Statements and Testimony on Women's Health Issues
25th Council information coming soon!
MSDC Partners With Babyscripts To Empower Physicians And Address Maternal Mortality In The District And Beyond
MSDC Partners With Babyscripts To Empower Physicians And Address Maternal Mortality In The District And Beyond
Partnership with local maternal health start-up empowers physicians with innovative technology
The Medical Society of the District of Columbia (MSDC), the largest medical organization in the District representing metropolitan Washington physicians, is pleased to announce a partnership with Babyscripts. The partnership aims to improve maternal health outcomes and address maternal mortality through a turnkey virtual maternity care solution that delivers digital education, remote management and care collaboration.
Washington, D.C., the nation's capital, has some of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the United States, with a particularly high incidence of preterm births. Rates of preterm birth are highest in Wards 7 and 8, east of the Anacostia River and home to some of the poorest and most vulnerable citizens in the city. As the primary health champion in the nation’s capital, MSDC is a staunch advocate for access to care in all eight wards. MSDC supports technology and innovators, such as Babyscripts, that empower physicians to better treat their patients. Read about MSDC’s advocacy on women’s health and on health equity for more information.
Dr. Susanne Bathgate, chair of the MSDC Board of Directors, said “MSDC is pleased to partner with Babyscripts, an innovative, DC-based company that uses technology to improve prenatal care and address maternal mortality. Babyscripts’ solutions are easy-to-use and especially helpful in treating the city’s most vulnerable and at-risk patients. The Babyscripts team genuinely cares about the health of our nation’s capital.”
The partnership between MSDC and Babyscripts builds on past collaboration including a joint webinar on July 29 titled “Innovation, Advocacy, and Maternal Care”, which highlighted challenges and solutions related to maternal care in the District of Columbia.
Babyscripts exists to increase access to prenatal and postpartum care and improve maternal health outcomes, offering comprehensive virtual maternity care that delivers better pregnancies to all mothers via a mobile application and remote monitoring devices and managing the various risk-levels of a maternal health population to address some of the largest drivers of cost and complications in perinatal care. Babyscripts’ three-tiered approach to virtual maternity care allows providers to deliver risk-specific care to pregnant mothers at any time, in any place. For more information on Babyscripts Virtual Maternity Care and to schedule a demo, visit www.babyscripts.com.
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Media Contact:
Pia Duryea
Medical Society of the District of Columbia
duryea@msdc.org
(202) 355-9414
About the Medical Society of the District of Columbia
With over 3,000 members, the Medical Society of the District of Columbia (MSDC) is the largest medical organization representing metropolitan Washington physicians in the District of Columbia. The Medical Society, founded in 1817, is the leading voice of medicine and public health advocate on issues impacting the diverse population of our Nation’s Capital. MSDC is dedicated to ensuring the well-being of physicians and their patients in metropolitan Washington. For more information, visit msdc.org.
About Babyscripts
Babyscripts is delivering a new model for prenatal and postpartum care that is transforming the way expectant mothers use technology to work with their healthcare providers. We’ve spent the last six years delivering the most-implemented mobile clinical solution for remote monitoring in pregnancy, with the mission to eliminate maternal mortality and improve access to care for all mothers. Babyscripts was named to the 2020 Digital Health 150, CB Insights’ annual ranking of the 150 most promising private digital health companies in the world. For more information on our virtual care solution and to request a demo, visit www.babyscripts.com.
Sample of Legislation MSDC Followed in Women's Health and Maternal Health
(See the whole list of bills here)
What does the bill do? Extends postpartum inpatient and outpatient benefits to at least one year after childbirth
MSDC position: We support this legislation and the extension of insurance benefits to mothers and babies to help maternal health in the District
Current status: SUCCESS. The bill passed the Council and was signed into law by the Mayor on August 14, 2020.
What does the bill do? The bill prohibits the District government from interfering with patients' reproductive health decisions and prohibits employers from punishing physicians who perform abortions or sterilizations outside of their employment.
MSDC position: We support this legislation as it allows physicians freedom of practice.
Current status: SUCCESS. The bill passed the Committee on Government Operations in January. MSDC submitted testimony at the December hearing, and MSDC member Sara Imershein testified at the hearing. The Council passed the bill and the Mayor signed it into law on March 23, 2020.
What does the bill do? The bill extends coverage for maternal health issues and fertility preservation, creates a Maternal Health Center in the District, and mandates two hours of cultural competence CME for health care providers.
MSDC position: We oppose the bill without changes due to inclusion of mandatory CME and some of the definitions in the bill being medically questionable.
Current status: The bill had a hearing in the Committee on Health in December, with MSDC member Dr. Sara Imershein testifying for MSDC and ACOG.