First Fertility’s Post

✨ Discoveries Along the Trying to Conceive (TTC) Journey ✨ The TTC journey is filled with unexpected learning moments, both for individuals and healthcare professionals supporting them. How many of these discoveries resonate with you or your patients? We’d love to hear your insights in the comments! Follow us for more TTC tips, tools, and resources to empower you and your practice. 💜 #TTC #FertilityJourney #HealthcareSupport #Premom #FertilityCare #ReproductiveHealth

These numbers speak volumes about how the healtcare system values different types of care! A serious conversation is needed about how we value life-saving essential medical care…

Much as the syntax annoys me, a wise colleague once said: "You get what you incent." As here, if an apple and an orange are valued differently (or in this case, electrolysis vs prenatal care...or me as pcp removing a wart vs compensation for a dermatologist removing a wart) ...then rational clinicians or admins would gravitate to the pathway that will generate more revenue for the procedure or treatment in question. And, there is much about modern US healthcare that does this. As noted below, even a casual survey of such incentives suggests we have some screwy priorities. As a pediatrician, this is not shocking news. For the equivalent effort/work of caring for a healthy child or a complex child, we will get paid a fraction (pennies on the dollar actually) versus similar efforts for adults. In a system that is ever more driven by monetization, the incentives can become bizarre and even excessive. Big picture, we may be making a smaller group more wealthy if they choose the higher reward specialties or procedures to pursue, but it very concretely disincentivizes a medical/health workforce to take care of those who don't offer the same financial reward. If we are to invest in our children, and to offer a pathway to health and wellness for all...then we need re-examine the derangement in these equations.

Clinics should recognise that if they are supporting #patients in every #communication they have with them, those patients will feel more valued and trusting of the clinic 🤗 Patients will be able to cope more effectively with #treatment and will return to their clinic for further treatment. A #survey by the HFEA of over 1000 patients and their partners on the service they received at their clinic, found that: 👉 Improving patient satisfaction is likely to have the greatest impact on overall satisfaction with the fertility process as a whole. 👉 Many spoke highly of the healthcare professionals, yet some felt that the healthcare professionals lacked empathy and that the process felt rushed. Read more in our free Fertility Patients Care Guidance! Check out here: https://tiny.pl/cf51t #PersonalizedApproach #PatientCare #FertilityCare #lifestylechange #FertilityAwarenessImpact #FertilityEmpowerment #FertilitySupport #EuropeanFertilitySociety #guidelines

For those of you in Pediatrics---- this is common knowledge. In healthcare, children carry much less value than adults. If you follow me on Linkedin you know I have written many times about this topic-- how pediatric and maternal care deserts are expanding and why. @Rachel Fleishman writes the truth. Thanks Steven Merahn, MD and J. Michael Connors MD for highlighting the article. The RVU scheme (scam) makes no sense for children and their mothers and families--- it has real, negative implications. A birth of a baby is a miracle and filled with joy and health--- until it is not and a baby or mother need emergent and necessary skilled team to provide life sustaining care. As Dr. Fleishman points out 10% of babies need some form of assistance at birth. If they do not get this assistance, they can have a poor transition from their fluid filled environment to our air filled environment. 1% need critical care-- where technology and skilled teams can coordinate and support babies that have a limited chance to survive without it. It is noted that the greatest physiological transition that a human undergoes is at the time of birth. A temporary, but life sustaining organ, the placenta disappears and the fetus becomes a baby that must sustain their own life with a dramatic shift in cardiorespiratory adaptations to compensate for the disappearance of the placenta and mother. What Dr. Fleishman describes in her piece, may seem simple-- providing CPAP to develop and maintain functional residual capacity to open air sacs, squeezing out fetal lung fluid, and improving effective gas exchange. It requires knowledge, skill, experience, timeliness, and dexterity to care for a baby while reassuring concerned parents and families. Without this support, a baby can quickly spiral and require ICU care for persistent fetal circulation and its consequences. How can pregnancy care and care for a newborn be valued so low? As compared to cosmetic hair removal---- because when it comes to healthcare finance, common sense and true understanding of care has been thrown out the window. It is time for those in Pediatrics (and those caring for pregnant women) to speak out and demand that our healthcare system begins to value children as much, if not more, than care for adults. #UsingWhatWeHaveBetter

As our population ages, holistic patient monitoring is becoming crucial for geriatric care. Cyril ensures elderly patients receive comprehensive care by addressing their physical, mental, and social needs. Holistic monitoring is essential for high-quality geriatric care, improving outcomes and enhancing the well-being of elderly individuals. Let's embrace this approach for a healthier future! 🌟 #GeriatricCare #HolisticHealth #PatientMonitoring #HealthcareInnovation

Fertility challenges can be emotionally and physically exhausting for patients, but as specialists, our role goes beyond just providing medical solutions. Compassion, support, and clear communication are key to helping patients navigate this journey. I prioritise a patient-centred approach, ensuring they feel supported every step of the way, whether through initial consultations or ongoing treatments.  #ProfMichaelChapman #Fertilitycare #Patientsupport #MichaelChapman #Personalisedcare

Despite recognition in the medical community that preconception care should be provided, one study showed that 86% of women do not receive preconception care from their family physician or OB-GYN. This is why we launched our Trying-to-Conceive (TTC) Coaching service, which brings the proven results of health coaching to fertility education and provides members with personalized support—while reducing costs for employers in one of the most expensive areas of the global healthcare system. Learn more about TTC Coaching at Maven and how we can support your team as they begin their family-building journeys: https://bit.ly/49FIbwX

When navigating healthcare systems, small details can make all the difference. 💡 Deliana Garcia shared a story about a woman who once tried to sign up for prenatal care, unsure of how to fill out the form. A simple tip—make sure to list your birth month, day, and year— saved her from being lost in the system. Healthcare is such a complex system and it's not just about being present, it's about making sure patients understand how things work. Clinicians play a crucial role in making the healthcare system accessible by truly listening to their patients and understanding their realities. Small adjustments, like clear communication and providing necessary resources, can make a world of difference in ensuring every patient receives the care they deserve. #HealthEquity #PatientAdvocacy #HealthcareAccess

At BMC, we're committed to making award-winning clinical care accessible to all. Our OB/GYN department and Health Equity Accelerator have and continue to implement interventions that empower our pregnant patients to make timely decisions about their care and express agency over their bodies, such as our remote blood pressure monitoring program. From 2021 to 2022, we saw an 80% decrease in the rate of readmission due to hypertension following childbirth. BMC is advancing health justice and eliminating the race-based health equity gap in clinical areas where we see major disparities, including child and maternal health. Learn more about OB/GYN at BMC ➡️ https://bit.ly/3Jh91Re #BlackMaternalHealthWeek