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Denise Hughes

UPMC Public Relations

Phone: 412-983-3836

Email: Hughesdr2@upmc.edu

Andrea Yorchuck

UPMC Public Relations

Phone: 412-552-7448

Email: Andrea.kunicky@chp.edu

PITTSBURGH (Feb. 19, 2026)—The UPMC Center for High-Value Health Care (the Center) was recently awarded $3.26 million in Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funding. The funding is being used to support 2 initiatives that aim to address hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) with the goal of improving long-term cardiovascular outcomes for mothers in rural and underserved communities across Pennsylvania.

HDPs are a leading cause of maternal mortality and long-term cardiovascular disease, affecting about 15 percent of pregnancies in the United States.¹Underserved communities face the greatest risks, with particularly high rates among people living in rural areas, those with low incomes, and minoritized populations.

“Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are increasingly prevalent and pose serious risks during delivery and the postpartum period and throughout a mother's life. Through the collaborative efforts of the Perinatal Research Collective (PRC) and the Postpartum HEART initiatives, we are committed to developing innovative, evidence-based solutions that support mothers in managing HDP during postpartum recovery and well into the future,” said Hy Simhan, MD, Director of Clinical Innovation for the UPMC Women's Health Service Line at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

The Perinatal Research Collective: Collaborating to Advance Maternal Health²

A $2,064,680 award will support the PRC, which is designed to unite maternal health leaders from the Center, the UPMC Women’s Health Service Line, the University of Pittsburgh, and the Preeclampsia Foundation. The PRC aims to strengthen engagement in best-practice clinical care for HDP and cardiovascular disease risk monitoring.

The PRC centers on elevating the voices of individuals with lived experience of HDP and other key stakeholders to better understand how incentivized care and patient navigation may help to improve postpartum care. Patients, advocacy groups, and health system stakeholders will coordinate on implementation strategies, co-lead research efforts, support dissemination, and mentor new researchers in the field. By elevating stakeholder perspectives and fostering the next generation of maternal health researchers, the PRC seeks to reshape and advance evidence-based care for HDP through inclusive, community-driven innovation.

Postpartum HEART: Bridging Obstetric and Primary Care for Rural Mothers³

With a $1,196,119 award, the Center and UPMC Women’s Health Service Line will collaborate with regional provider networks to launch Postpartum HEART (Hypertension Education, Awareness, Risk Reduction, and Transitions of Care). This initiative is designed to improve short- and long-term cardiovascular outcomes for patients with HDP in Mercer and Venango counties—two rural regions in Pennsylvania—with the goal of expanding statewide.

Postpartum HEART programming will leverage remote blood pressure monitoring, virtual visits, and provide eConsults to strengthen the transition from obstetric to primary care. By helping to enhance care coordination and equipping patients with tools for self-monitoring and education, the initiative aims to reduce preventable complications and promote lifelong heart health for mothers in underserved communities.

Both projects will address the urgent need for improved postpartum care for individuals with HDP.

Through stakeholder engagement, human-centered design, and rigorous evaluation, the Center is working to advance coordinated, patient-centered maternal health care that reflects the realities of the communities it serves.

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About the UPMC Center for High-Value Health Care

Established in 2011, the UPMC Center for High-Value Health Care (Center) advances the health and health care of the members, patients, and communities that UPMC serves by generating new knowledge and insights through real-world health services research and program evaluation. For more than a decade, the Center’s work has helped UPMC keep pace with the ever-evolving health care landscape. In conjunction with the Centers for Value-Based Pharmacy Initiatives and Social Impact, the Center team has grown and broadened relationships to support UPMC with addressing pressing health care challenges. In collaboration with members and other stakeholders, the Center takes a data-driven approach to shape and inform the important questions it seeks to answer.

About UPMC Insurance Services

The UPMC Insurance Services Division serves more than 4.1 million members and is owned and operated by UPMC, a world-renowned health care provider and insurer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The UPMC Insurance Services Division provides commercial products through UPMC Health Plan for both groups and individuals. Its commercial products also include workers' compensation and employee assistance from nationally known Workpartners®. Government products include Medicare Advantage plans (UPMC for Life); special needs plans for those who are eligible for Medicare and Medical Assistance (UPMC for Life Complete Care and UPMC Community HealthChoices); a Medical Assistance plan (UPMC for You); and Children's Health Insurance Program plans (UPMC for Kids). Community Care Behavioral Health Organization—one of the nation's largest nonprofit managed care behavioral health organizations—is also part of the Insurance Services Division. Community Care offers a full range of services to commercial and Medical Assistance members. For more information, visit upmchealthplan.com.

¹Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy. Million Hearts, Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reviewed Jan. 9, 2025. Accessed Feb. 10, 2025.

millionhearts.hhs.gov/tools-protocols/tools/hypertension-disorders-pregnancy.html

²This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under award number U0AMC54982. The contents are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, HRSA, MCHB, HHS, or the U.S. Government.

³This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under award number D04RH55116, Rural Health Care Services Outreach Grant Program. The information, content and/or conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

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UPMC Center for High-Value Health Care Awarded $3.26M to Address Maternal Health in Rural Pennsylvania