A collaborative “THRIVE Fetus to Five” neonatal brain program review

After Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) discharge, vulnerable babies at risk of neurodevelopmental impairment and other chronic problems often require specialized follow-up care to monitor their development and address any potential issues. Typically, this involves multiple follow-up visits usually focused on neurodevelopment and growth. With advances in obstetric care, high-risk fetuses are being identified earlier, marking another timepoint in which personalized medicine can be delivered from before birth to after discharge including neuronicu care. Our program embeds this focus into a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary primary care model, which offers significant benefits for at-risk infants, and provides an integrated approach to their care. We present the benefits of integrating this model of care with other specialty clinic services into a cohesive, multi-disciplinary follow-up system that maximizes the potential for optimal care and outcomes. Through close collaboration of our multiple specialists at each point of the medical journey of each infant from "Fetus to Five," we describe our program where the priority is each child's needs to be met efficiently and comprehensively, as a pathway to thriving developmental outcomes and overall family satisfaction. IMPACT: The future of such comprehensive programs lies in expanding access to comprehensive, integrated care offering services that extend into adolescence and adulthood that supports NICU graduates throughout their lifespan, ensuring optimal health and developmental outcomes.