Family-centered care for preterm infants: Parent and physical therapist perceptions

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Rehabilitation Therapy
• Healthcare Perceptions

Background:

• Family-centered care is crucial for preterm infants.
• Understanding stakeholder perceptions is key to improving care.
• Previous research has not fully compared parent and therapist views on this topic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare perceptions of family-centered care between parents and physical therapists for preterm infants.
• To identify specific areas of agreement and disagreement in care delivery.

Main Methods:

• Utilized translated versions of the Measure of Processes of Care-20 (MPOC-20) and Measures of Processes of Care for Service Providers.
• Surveyed 42 parents of 44 preterm infants and nine physical therapists.

Main Results:

• Parents reported generally positive perceptions of family-centered care, particularly in 'Enable and Partnership' domains.
• Physical therapists provided lower scores across all information domains compared to parents.
• Identified discrepancies between parent and physical therapist perceptions regarding information sharing.

Conclusions:

• Highlighted strengths and weaknesses in current family-centered care practices for preterm infants.
• Parents perceive the role of physical therapists positively within family-centered care models.
• Addressing information domain gaps could enhance collaborative care for preterm infants.