The PTBi-CA funded evaluation study of mobile enhanced Family Integrated Care (mFICare study) has launched it's intervention phase in the NICUs of 3 of our 5 research sites (Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, Benioff Children's Hospital San Francisco, and Community Regional Medial Center in Fresno). We are thrilled to announce the study will launch at UCLA-Santa Monica and Kaiser Santa Clara in January 2020!
The current study is evaluating the effectiveness of mFICare to transform the culture of the NICU so that parents are more fully integrated as partners in their baby’s care. So far we have recruited 65 participants towards our goal of 175 families. We are actively recruiting families with babies born at 33 weeks gestation or earlier and hope to show that the supports that mFICare provides in the NICU lead to better outcomes for preterm babies and their families, as has been shown in trials in Canada, Australia, the UK and China. Ours is the first study of this model of care in the US.
Each of our NICUs now have:
mFICare training and support for nurses and other clinical staff
Regularly scheduled parent classes (3-5 times a week) focused on prematurity and parent connection open to all parents in the NICU
Parent-led medical rounds (in-person and remotely) for mFICare families
Parent mentors for mFICare families. Learn More About Parent Mentors!
Use of the We3health app for tracking their journey and progress, and receiving education
A year in numbers with our San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital site:
medical rounds have been attended by mFICare parents in the NICU.
Parent Classes have been held since September 2018.
total educational class sessions have been attended by parents in the NICU
parent mentors trained and actively mentoring mFICare parents.
Learn More
New Study shows how Family Integrated Care Reduces Mothers' Stress in the NICU
A Conversation with Linda Franck: Helping Preterm and Low-Birth-Weight Babies Survive and Thrive
