Encouraging Prenatal Care and Support While Battling Addiction

In collaboration with Lynn Community Health Center serving the north shore of Boston, and Partners Community Benefits, the Center for Connected Health is implementing two pilot programs to explore the benefits of text messaging as a potentially vital enabler to patient engagement in their care plan.

Encouraging Prenatal Care
Targeting pregnant young women, a text messaging educational program is being piloted to promote good prenatal care. Text messages, providing motivational support, education and ongoing reminders for prenatal visits, are being delivered to participants at least once a week over the course of twelve months. Messages are customized based on first, second, third trimester and the first month postpartum.

Support While Battling Addiction
Patients battling opioid addiction require frequent testing, weekly office visits, support services and outreach, particularly during the early stages of treatment. Text messaging may be a low cost option to extend communication and could play an important role in keeping these patients feeling connected and providing reminders for testing and visits critical to success. During this 12 month pilot, messages will be sent to patients on suboxone treatment, tailored to each patient’s phase of therapy.