Grant: Operating Grant: ECI grants in Maternal, Reproductive, Child & Youth Health

Each year, more than 4000 infants are born very preterm (<33 weeks) in Canada and are admitted in a neonatal intensive care unit NICU. These infants are at high risk of death and short-term hospital morbidity and the cost of care of these infants is estimated at $378 million annually in Canada. The structure of care including resource allocation (nurse-to-patient ratios, physician provision and other healthcare providers) and how they are organized within each unit significantly contributes to costs and quality of care. The objective of our research is to determine the effects of resource organization and allocation on outcomes (death or major morbidity) of very preterm infants in Canada born < 33 weeks. To carry out this program of research, we will collect organizational and resource allocation data with surveys and administrative databases and evaluate how these factors affect patient outcomes. We will study variations in resource allocation and organization at two different levels: between units and between individual patients. Our results will allow us to identify more efficient models of care to reduce costs and improve outcomes of very preterm infants.