CIHR's Institute of Health Services and Policy Research

Protecting the Defenseless

Improving care for newborns

Finding
Nothing is as precious as a newborn's life. The cost of neonatal care is equally dear - but it's not the same everywhere. To reduce costs and improve care, members of the Canadian Neonatal Care Network share information about the type of care given and the outcomes of this treatment. The Network links 27 neonatal intensive care units across Canada.

Impact
New and significant findings have resulted from the Network's database. For instance, all newborns are routinely screened for a condition that can cause blindness, known as retinopathy of prematurity. Information collected by the Network has helped determine when screening is necessary, a change that will reduce costs by more than $1 million per year.

Team
The Network was founded and continues to be led by Dr. Shoo Lee of the University of Alberta.