Transition-to-home arrangements for very preterm infants and related parental needs at perinatal centres in Austria and Switzerland: a cross-sectional multicentred study

Introduction The current study aims to give an overview of transition-to-home services provided by perinatal centres in Austria and Switzerland and to evaluate parental satisfaction with the care provided.Methods This cross-sectional multicentred study was conducted by performing two surveys between...

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Main Authors: Dirk Bassler, Beatrice Latal, Mark Adams, Juliane Schneider, Jean-François Tolsa, Jörg Jahnel, André Kidszun, Philipp Meyer, Riccardo E Pfister, Martin Stocker, Angelika Berger, Berndt Urlesberger, Ulrike Held, Ursula Kiechl-Kohlendorfer, Bjarte Rogdo, Martin Wald, Laura Ebner, André Birkenmaier, Lea Buehrer, Simone Kistler, Ulla Jochumsen, Herbert Kurz, Nadja Haiden, Sven M Schulzke
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2025-01-01
Series:BMJ Paediatrics Open
Online Access:https://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/9/1/e003017.full
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author Dirk Bassler
Beatrice Latal
Mark Adams
Juliane Schneider
Jean-François Tolsa
Jörg Jahnel
André Kidszun
Philipp Meyer
Riccardo E Pfister
Martin Stocker
Angelika Berger
Berndt Urlesberger
Ulrike Held
Ursula Kiechl-Kohlendorfer
Bjarte Rogdo
Martin Wald
Laura Ebner
André Birkenmaier
Lea Buehrer
Simone Kistler
Ulla Jochumsen
Herbert Kurz
Nadja Haiden
Sven M Schulzke
author_facet Dirk Bassler
Beatrice Latal
Mark Adams
Juliane Schneider
Jean-François Tolsa
Jörg Jahnel
André Kidszun
Philipp Meyer
Riccardo E Pfister
Martin Stocker
Angelika Berger
Berndt Urlesberger
Ulrike Held
Ursula Kiechl-Kohlendorfer
Bjarte Rogdo
Martin Wald
Laura Ebner
André Birkenmaier
Lea Buehrer
Simone Kistler
Ulla Jochumsen
Herbert Kurz
Nadja Haiden
Sven M Schulzke
author_sort Dirk Bassler
collection DOAJ
description Introduction The current study aims to give an overview of transition-to-home services provided by perinatal centres in Austria and Switzerland and to evaluate parental satisfaction with the care provided.Methods This cross-sectional multicentred study was conducted by performing two surveys between May 2022 and November 2023: one among all level III perinatal centres in Austria (n=7) and Switzerland (n=9) (institutional survey) and one among parents of very preterm infants treated at one selected perinatal centre in each of the two countries (parental survey). Both questionnaires consisted of matching questions focusing on current transition-to-home services.Results All perinatal centres participated in the institutional survey and 61 out of 84 parents completed the parental questionnaire (response rate 72.6%). The discharge process to home was identified as a multidisciplinary effort involving various healthcare professionals with discrepancies in responses within and between institutional and parental questionnaires. Certain disparities were observed in the timing of discharge conversations between healthcare providers and parents. Most physicians mentioned initiating discharge discussions while the child was still in the intensive care unit, but only 14.8% of parents recalled these early conversations. One-fourth of perinatal centres actively contact patients after discharge. So far, video consultations or mobile applications have not been offered. While 95.1% of parents expressed satisfaction with the care received, there were concerns about contradictory medical information, particularly regarding breastfeeding.Conclusion The transition-to-home process for very preterm infants presents several opportunities for improvement, especially concerning communication between healthcare providers and parents, lactation counselling services and the timely outreach to parents shortly after discharge. The findings of the current study may further improve this transition process and might aid in the development of a standardised programme that is tailored to parental needs.
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spelling doaj-art-3522b55ba5c64d9785db1575897e14622025-01-17T09:00:10ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Paediatrics Open2399-97722025-01-019110.1136/bmjpo-2024-003017Transition-to-home arrangements for very preterm infants and related parental needs at perinatal centres in Austria and Switzerland: a cross-sectional multicentred studyDirk Bassler0Beatrice Latal1 2Mark Adams3Juliane SchneiderJean-François TolsaJörg Jahnel4André KidszunPhilipp MeyerRiccardo E Pfister5Martin StockerAngelika Berger6Berndt Urlesberger7Ulrike Held8Ursula Kiechl-Kohlendorfer9Bjarte RogdoMartin Wald10Laura Ebner11André BirkenmaierLea Buehrer12Simone Kistler13Ulla Jochumsen14Herbert KurzNadja HaidenSven M Schulzke21 Neonatology, Universitätsspital Zürich Klinik für Neonatologie, Zürich, Switzerland1 Child Development Center, Children`s Research Center, University Children`s Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandOncology, University Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, UK16 Department of Neonatology, Universitätsspital Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland1 Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University Graz, Graz, AustriaNeonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care, Geneva University Hospitals, Mother, Child and Adolescent Department, Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland1 Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care and Neuropediatrics, Comprehensive Center for Pediatrics, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, AustriaDivision of Neonatology, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria3 Department of Biostatistics at the Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland5 Department of Pediatrics II (Neonatology), Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria10 Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Paracelsus Medical University, University Hospital Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria5 Department of Pediatrics II (Neonatology), Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, AustriaDepartment of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute (EBPI), University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandChild Development Center and Children`s Research Center, University Children`s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Neonatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandIntroduction The current study aims to give an overview of transition-to-home services provided by perinatal centres in Austria and Switzerland and to evaluate parental satisfaction with the care provided.Methods This cross-sectional multicentred study was conducted by performing two surveys between May 2022 and November 2023: one among all level III perinatal centres in Austria (n=7) and Switzerland (n=9) (institutional survey) and one among parents of very preterm infants treated at one selected perinatal centre in each of the two countries (parental survey). Both questionnaires consisted of matching questions focusing on current transition-to-home services.Results All perinatal centres participated in the institutional survey and 61 out of 84 parents completed the parental questionnaire (response rate 72.6%). The discharge process to home was identified as a multidisciplinary effort involving various healthcare professionals with discrepancies in responses within and between institutional and parental questionnaires. Certain disparities were observed in the timing of discharge conversations between healthcare providers and parents. Most physicians mentioned initiating discharge discussions while the child was still in the intensive care unit, but only 14.8% of parents recalled these early conversations. One-fourth of perinatal centres actively contact patients after discharge. So far, video consultations or mobile applications have not been offered. While 95.1% of parents expressed satisfaction with the care received, there were concerns about contradictory medical information, particularly regarding breastfeeding.Conclusion The transition-to-home process for very preterm infants presents several opportunities for improvement, especially concerning communication between healthcare providers and parents, lactation counselling services and the timely outreach to parents shortly after discharge. The findings of the current study may further improve this transition process and might aid in the development of a standardised programme that is tailored to parental needs.https://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/9/1/e003017.full
spellingShingle Dirk Bassler
Beatrice Latal
Mark Adams
Juliane Schneider
Jean-François Tolsa
Jörg Jahnel
André Kidszun
Philipp Meyer
Riccardo E Pfister
Martin Stocker
Angelika Berger
Berndt Urlesberger
Ulrike Held
Ursula Kiechl-Kohlendorfer
Bjarte Rogdo
Martin Wald
Laura Ebner
André Birkenmaier
Lea Buehrer
Simone Kistler
Ulla Jochumsen
Herbert Kurz
Nadja Haiden
Sven M Schulzke
Transition-to-home arrangements for very preterm infants and related parental needs at perinatal centres in Austria and Switzerland: a cross-sectional multicentred study
BMJ Paediatrics Open
title Transition-to-home arrangements for very preterm infants and related parental needs at perinatal centres in Austria and Switzerland: a cross-sectional multicentred study
title_full Transition-to-home arrangements for very preterm infants and related parental needs at perinatal centres in Austria and Switzerland: a cross-sectional multicentred study
title_fullStr Transition-to-home arrangements for very preterm infants and related parental needs at perinatal centres in Austria and Switzerland: a cross-sectional multicentred study
title_full_unstemmed Transition-to-home arrangements for very preterm infants and related parental needs at perinatal centres in Austria and Switzerland: a cross-sectional multicentred study
title_short Transition-to-home arrangements for very preterm infants and related parental needs at perinatal centres in Austria and Switzerland: a cross-sectional multicentred study
title_sort transition to home arrangements for very preterm infants and related parental needs at perinatal centres in austria and switzerland a cross sectional multicentred study
url https://bmjpaedsopen.bmj.com/content/9/1/e003017.full
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