WELCOME Project – supporting families after hospital discharge through telemedicine

Digital, video-supported transition to post-inpatient care for premature and full-term babies with increased need for follow-up care - development of an idea sketch

The transition from hospital to home care for preterm infants and newborns with increased nursing needs can be a challenging and stressful time for parents. While these families receive reliable routine care in German hospitals, they are faced with the responsibility of 24/7 care once they leave the hospital. Instabilities in the infant's vital signs or the need for intensive medical care can add further stress to the situation. However, the community care system is often fragmented and faces a shortage of skilled professionals.

The WELCOME project aims to address these challenges by developing and evaluating a digital video-based transition care concept. Pediatric nurses will provide families with virtual consultations via video and will also supply them with a tablet and necessary medical devices, such as an oxygen saturation monitor or stethoscope. The vital signs of the newborn can be easily transmitted to the nurse specialists for monitoring. Additionally, the parents will receive tailored information and decision aids.

The evaluation of the project will focus on factors such as feasibility, acceptance, usage, and clinical and economic effects. The primary outcome will be the 30-day readmission rate, while secondary outcomes will include adverse events, developmental progress of the newborn, reduced stress levels for parents, increased self-efficacy, and improved care competencies.

This consortium Project is led by Clinical Nursing Research and Quality Management Unit of the University Hospital LMU Munich. The Institute for Clinical Nursing Science (CC01) of the Charité is responsible for the evaluation. Further partners include Techniker Krankenkasse and the company MedKitDocs – BDS Digital Health Solutions GmbH.
The Chair of Public Health and Health Services Research is responsible for data management and planning of the quantitative statistical analysis.