The MiCare Project

Principal Investigator: Shoo Lee, Mount Sinai Hospital
Co-investigators: Hayward R, Joseph KS, Armson BA, Dendukuri N, Barrington KJ,
Baker GR, Magee LA, Ohlsson A, Saigal S, Sauve R, Shaw N, Skarsgard E, Stevens B,
Liston RM, Aziz K, O’Campo P, El-Hajj M  Network Contact: Shoo Lee
Funding Agency: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Funding Granted: $1,727,068 (Yr1) (2008-2013)

A major weakness in health research is the inability to effectively, efficiently and rapidly translate knowledge into improved quality of care, better patient outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. Preterm birth is a prime area for developing knowledge translation models to improve quality of care. The costs of preterm birth are estimated to exceed $1 billion annually in Canada and include NICU care, which is expensive and often prolonged.

Unfortunately, little is known about how to reduce preterm births and the outcomes for preterm infants have not improved in recent years. This research program is designed to improve outcomes and reduce costs through a better understanding of how different practices and risks affect the long-term health of preterm infants, how improved methods of knowledge translation can enhance quality of care, and how the use of evidence can be extended to patients for counseling and decision making.

Our objective is to conduct an integrated program of research, training and knowledge translation aimed at creating innovative methods and models for improving quality of care for pregnant women, infants and their families. We will involve researchers, clinicians, administrators, professional bodies and community groups from across Canada.

To achieve this objective, we will establish a unique national database that spans the entire period from pregnancy to childbirth, infancy and developmental follow-up. This database will be used to develop and test innovative methods and models for quality improvement. Our research program consists of five projects that will:

  • Assess therapy and non-therapy related risk factors for preterm infants;
  • Use evidence to identify best practices and indicators;
  • Develop and evaluate decision support tools to facilitate practice change;
  • Implement and evaluate an evidence-based practice identification and change (EPIC) system for improving care for newborn infants and their families and;
  • Develop updated prognostic tools for family counseling and decision making.

CNFUN launched the Parent-EPIQ project on April 1st, 2018

Parent-EPIQ is one of 13 projects funded as part of the CHILD-BRIGHT (Child Health Initiatives Limiting Disability- Brain Research Improving Growth and Health Trajectories) CIHR SPOR initiative for chronic disabilities. 

Parent-EPIQ has 3 aims:

  1. To define outcomes that are meaningful to parents of very preterm children (< 29 wks GA) at CNFUN visits at 18-21 mos CA.  
  2. To implement Parent EPIQ interventions to improve cognitive and language abilities in a preterm population at 12 intervention sites.
  3. Evaluate whether CNFUN measured outcomes across Canada are improving using annual benchmarked reports for Parent-EPIQ intervention and non-intervention sites.

Ongoing Data Request Review

The CNFUN Steering continuously accept and review an average of 10 CNFUN Data Requests from researchers across Canada each year.

Ongoing Data Collection

Enormous and valuable information is shared through the CNFUN database each year. The 27 sites continuously upload and collect data from each participant center around Canada. The CNFUN database shares data with multiple researchers promoting the development of new proposals and enhancing the research in the fields of perinatal medicine. 

Knowledge Transfer and Dissemination

The network is actively disseminating knowledge and research findings through its participation in seminars, conferences and meetings.