Connected Care: Using Technology to Bridge the Gap with NICU Families

Background: Preterm birth challenges families not only due to the infant’s condition but also from the stress of understanding the complexity of specialized care. NICU care. Communication gaps—shaped by time constraints, provider experience, and varying health literacy—often exacerbate these challenges. The Preeme+ app addresses these issues by reinforcing key clinical information and enabling families to track their infant’s hospital course in real time. Using structured parental input for preterm infants across five key domains, the app classifies conditions with a color-coded severity system. Each section delivers concise, easy-to-understand content, allowing families to absorb and revisit information at their own pace

Objectives: Assess Preeme+ app implementation & usage across multiple NICUs; identify engagement trends by gestational age (GA) and birth weight (BW)

Design/Methods: An 18-month, multicenter trial was conducted across three Midwest NICUs: academic Level IV centers & a Level III community hospital. Champion teams at each site developed staff orientation protocols, using written materials, in-person sessions, and printed guides (Fig.1) to explain the app’s functionality and color-coded logic. Usage data were collected anonymously

Results: A total of 160 families were introduced to the app (Site A: 34; Site B: 37; Site C: 89), with 19,880 check-ins recorded. Engagement was highest among families with infants of lower GA and BW. The most frequent use occurred when infants were classified in the highest acuity tier (purple), regardless of GA, with check-ins decreasing proportionally as acuity lessened (Fig. 2). This trend held consistently across all GA groups, suggesting families seek the most information during critical illness phases. At Site C, families of older preterm infants transitioning to lower levels of care also showed substantial app use.

Conclusions: Preeme+ was successfully implemented across diverse NICUs and demonstrated strong engagement, particularly among families of critically ill or lower GA infants. The app shows promise as a communication extender, supporting transparency, empowerment,& family-centered care. Utility beyond initial target population was shown by Site C engagement in an older group and highlights an unmet need for structured communication support during later phases of care too.Continued targeted use may enhance the cultural health capital of NICU communities and improve communication equity in neonatal care.