Innovative strategies to improve neonatal outcomes in NYC Public Hospitals

New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) is a public health care system consisting of eleven acute care hospitals, six diagnostic centers and four skilled nursing facilities serving a predominantly multicultural, low socioeconomic immigrant population. Approximately a fifth or more than 22,000 of all births in New York City occur at one of the eleven HHC hospitals with 20% requiring neonatal intensive care. Seven of the hospitals are designated as a Level 3 perinatal center and two designated as a Regional Perinatal Center (RPC), the highest designation for a perinatal center granted by NYSDOH. These hospitals provide the highest levels of specialized care for the most acutely sick and at-risk pregnant women and newborns.

In February 2007, a Corporate wide commitment was made to implement the Developmental Care/Wee Care program into its eleven NICU's The program is an evidence based program designed to improve the developmental outcomes of premature infants. Evidence strongly suggests Developmental Care promotes normal neurological development by minimizing the stress of the NICU environment and providing appropriate handling and positioning to mimic the mother's womb.

To implement the Developmental Care/Wee Care program, thorough assessments were made of each of the eleven NICU environment and appropriate changes were implemented including staff education, infant support supplies to maintain containment, alignment and proper flexion and environmental changes.

Through the implementation of this program, staff and parent satisfaction has increased, infant weight gain has improved and length of stay has decreased.