Grant: DRA : Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral Program (CGRS D)

In Canada, more than 20% of adults (~6.5 million adults) living in urban areas have reported not having attachment to a primary care provider. However, little has been reported on the attachment to primary care for newborns. Newborns require medical visits within the first days of life to monitor for dehydration, hyperbilirubinemia, infections, and congenital problems. In 2023, we conducted a preliminary prospective cohort study evaluating primary care attachment among newborns at St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto. We found that 30% of newborns did not have a primary care provider before discharge. As part of my PhD, I will further explore access to primary care for newborns in Ontario and be the first to formally evaluate whether government-funded hospital-based programs, such as the midwifery-driven neonatal care model, could help to bridge access gaps. Specifically, my research aims to evaluate if St. Michael's Hospital's midwifery-driven neonatal care model improves newborns' attachment to primary care, reduces the incidence of emergency department visits and hospitalizations, and supports a timely vaccination schedule within the first year of life. In addition, I will evaluate the cost effectiveness of midwifery-driven neonatal care clinics from a healthcare system perspective. The results gathered from this research will contribute comprehensive knowledge on the current state of access to primary care for newborns and the innovative midwifery-driven neonatal care model in facilitating primary care attachment, improving infant health outcomes, and providing cost-saving to our healthcare system.