Program areas at VON
Quality improvement & education:"nicq 2023-24 continues the series of intensive improvement collaboratives sponsored by Vermont Oxford Network. Interdisciplinary teams from 48 institutions in north america are working together to improve the quality and safety of medical care for newborn infants and their families by applying the concepts focused on three themes of neurodevelopment; prevention, protection, and promotion. The themes will be further supported by integrating the foundational elements for neurodevelopmental care improvement of families as partners, health equity and culture into their collaborative improvement work, addressing: neuroprotective developmental support; neurodevelopmental prevention, protection and promotion; initial and respiratory neonatal intensive care; acquired brain injuries and precision care; and neurosupportive care for the micro-premature infant. This project commenced in january 2023 and continued through december 2024. "inicq webinar series: inicq 2023 all care is brain care - our internet-based newborn improvement collaborative for quality (inicq) is a multi-center collaborative dedicated to exploring evidence, pursuing data-driven qi, and implementing better practices, to ensure that all care we provide benefits the developing brain. With the aim to prevent injury, protect normal maturation and development, and promote positive experiences and relationships, we support teams with:1. Potentially better practices/change ideas and clinical examples 2. Measurement plans and reporting3. Foundational qi resources4. Consultation and collaboration with care experts and other teams92 multi-disciplinary teams used von's structured curriculum and expert faculty to make measurable improvements. Additionally, teams had access to participate in courses on qi foundations and responding to neonatal abstinence syndrome.annual quality congress- we did not have an annual quality congress in 2023
Database/membership services:membership: in 2023 there were 1156 active members in the database. Membership in the Network for the very low birth weight database (up to 1500 grams) cost $5800 in 2023. The 2023 fee for the expanded database (all nicu admissions) membership was based on hospital size (aha data). Small hospitals were $6400 per year, medium hospitals were $7900 per year and large or children's hospitals were $9400 per year. Membership entitled members to yearly reports from the database, access to the internet reporting system and participation in clinical trials.scientific studies of the quality of care carried out in intensive care nurseries included preparation of reports on results. In 2024 we published the Vermont Oxford Network annual database summary for 2023, a detailed compendium describing the practices and outcomes at 1087 neonatal units caring for very low birth weight infants and the Vermont Oxford Network 2023 expanded database summary describing the practices and outcomes of all nicu infants regardless of birth weight at 551 units participating in the expanded database. The nightingale internet reporting system was provided to members. It allows confidential password protected access to hospital specific reports and Network comparison data.
Trials:all of the revenue is from the last year of the gerber grant elbw follow-up: 18-24 month "follow-up" continues for infants born weighing less than or equal to 1000 grams or gestational ages less than or equal to 27 weeks, 6 days. 56 centers participated in 2023 for the 2020 birth year cohort. Centers received reports of their data by birth year as well as a Network cohort report. The new england follow-up Network (nefun) also received their own group report. Nine nefun centers also received their first 3-6 month data collection project reports for the 2022 birth year. Von days: in 2023, there was one von day audit on all care is brain care. Seventy-three centers participated in von days audit, each unit was evaluated. Each participating center received a report of their audit.cochrane neonatal review - von continued to sponsor the cochrane neonatal group. Cochrane neonatal is one of over 50 collaborative review groups of cochrane. Cochrane is an international not-for-profit and independent organization, dedicated to making up-to-date, accurate information about the effects of healthcare readily available worldwide. As a member of cochrane, cochrane neonatal prepares and disseminates evidence-based, regularly updated systematic reviews of the effects of therapies in neonatal-perinatal medicine.
Global neonatology:global health initiative von develops partnerships and supports health professionals around the world with training and research that addresses the specific needs and constraints of resource-limited settings. Von partnered with leaders in rwanda to develop a curriculum for the first national neonatology fellowship in rwanda. Following approval of this curriculum and recruitment of staff, the rwanda neonatal perinatal medicine fellowship started spring 2024. We support this fellowship program by coordinating virtual lectures and in person volunteer trips given by von volunteers, while also supporting administratively. In 2022, we received funding from the bill and melinda gates foundation to use this the von global neonatal database platform to form the foundation of our partnership with the african neonatal association, creating the african neonatal Network, in five african countries. In 2024, we received additional funding from the bill and melinda gates foundation to serve as the data coordinating center for an african led randomized control trial comparing the effectiveness of two different administration techniques of surfactant in preterm neonates. We continued to collaborate and promote the professional development of colleagues in low- and middle-income countries through research projects and collaborative contributions to the scientific literature.