ProgenyHealth NICU Insights Blog

Ask any mom or family member who’s been through the experience, and they’ll tell you there’s nothing “normal” about a NICU stay, regardless of how long it lasts, or the relative health of their infant. Even when care is provided by dedicated staff at the best hospitals, the emotional roller coaster ride endures for the entire NICU length-of-stay, which can average 20+ days.

Helping both families and providers during this time (and enabling payers to provide additional benefits and expertise to support them), is critical to reducing overall system costs and ensuring each infant has the best possible chance for a healthy outcome. 

ProgenyHealth is committed to helping providers everywhere with one of the most devastating aspects of the opioid crisis: neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). With our newly updated Best Practices for Management of Infants with NAS, our clinical team has addressed major issues affecting these babies and their families. 

From 2004-2013, the incidence of NAS and maternal opioid use in the United States increased disproportionately in rural counties from 12.9% in 2003/2004 to 21.2% in 2012/2013¹.

ProgenyHealth’s team of neonatologists, pediatric nurses, and social workers have managed over 60,000 NICU cases to-date as part of our neonatal medical management service offering. Infants born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) – symptoms related to opioid exposure in the womb – represent a complex and growing segment of this population. Tackling their unique challenges requires a specialized approach that supports the needs of both the mother and the baby. 

May 6 - 12 is National Nurses Week and this years' theme is "4 million reasons to celebrate".  Like their colleagues everywhere, our team of highly skilled nurses works tirelessly every day to support the health outcomes of the tiniest of patients: infants who are or have been in neonatal intensive care units. 

Premature and medically complex newborn cases are inherently challenging. And when broader variables such as the social determinants of health come into play, ensuring positive outcomes for both babies and families becomes exponentially more difficult. This is the challenge that ProgenyHealth's nurses embrace on a daily basis. 

Fulfilling our mission at ProgenyHealth means supporting all those who care about and impact NICU infant health outcomes. Envision a circle, with infants and families at the center, widening to encompass providers, payers, social services, and many others. This is the networked team that must work together to effectively address and overcome the difficulties inherent in managing premature and medically complex infant cases.

In our recently updated Best Practices for Management of Infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), ProgenyHealth addressed major issues affecting these babies and their families. This new document was researched and developed by the clinical team at ProgenyHealth, which includes neonatologists and pediatricians. The contents were then reviewed and approved by our Medical Advisory Board, a committee of practicing neonatologists from many regions across the U.S., to assure both scientific accuracy and consistency with current clinical practice patterns.

With our updated Best Practices for Management of Infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), ProgenyHealth addresses some of the newest treatment methods, medication doses, transition of care needs, and long-term concerns for these infants.

Neonatal drug withdrawal can occur when newborn infants are exposed to medications or addictive substances in-utero or can occur following prolonged postnatal exposure.

As we again honor World Prematurity Day on November 17th, we must also acknowledge the problem is still growing. The National Center for Health Statistics reports that the average rate of preterm birth (birth prior to 37 weeks gestation) has increased for the third year in a row. The preterm birth rate has increased from 9.6% to 9.93% between 2016 and 2017. As a result, the March of Dimes Premature Birth Rate Report Card gives the United States a disappointing grade of “C”.

Prematurity is the leading cause of death worldwide in children under five years of age. This vulnerable population is at an increased risk of long-term health problems such as: cerebral palsy, developmental delay, breathing difficulties, blindness and hearing loss.

October marks Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) Awareness Month. NAS is the result of the sudden discontinuation of fetal exposure of a substance, typically an opiate such as methadone, heroin, or prescription opiates. It can give afflicted newborns a constellation of symptoms such as: vomiting, loose stools, high-pitched crying, irritability, inconsolability, tremors, sweating, sneezing, poor feeding, or even seizures.

Because of the opioid epidemic in the United States, the incidence of NAS has skyrocketed over the past decade. For the NICU physicians and nurses that care for such unfortunate infants on a regular basis, following best practices for NAS care is crucial.

As Neonatal Intensive Care Awareness Month comes to a close, we’d like to remind everyone of the unique challenges that families, providers, and communities face in caring for premature and medically complex newborns – struggles that often endure well beyond infancy.

The March of Dimes is one of the most widely known and respected charities. They’ve been leading the charge for healthier babies and moms for decades, and their mission is near and dear to our hearts here at ProgenyHealth.  Fighting Premature Birth: The Prematurity Campaign puts focus on many of the issues that we also face in providing care management services for such infants and their families in the first year of life.

According to CDC data as of 2016 cited in the campaign, 9.8% of all births in the US are preterm (<37 weeks gestation). Unfortunately, the rate of such births is growing, and the national opioid epidemic is contributing to the problem. To-date, a single solution has proven elusive. Until one is found, the best approach is a renewed focus on the issue that encompasses its inherent breadth and depth.