Journal of Early Intervention, Ahead of Print.
The Baby Bridge program was developed to ensure timely and continuous therapy services following neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) discharge. A systematic process for development of the Baby Bridge program included a review of the evidence, integration of theory, and input from NICU health care professionals, early intervention leadership, and parents of preterm infants. Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, we aimed to (a) assess organizational readiness for the new programming; (b) determine adoptability, acceptability, and fidelity following implementation; and (c) evaluate the program. Following the development of Baby Bridge programming, readiness for implementation was observed at the study site. Baby Bridge programming was adopted by the team, acceptable to health care staff and parents, achieved the key features defined, and resulted in more infants born ≤30 weeks receiving early therapy services (n = 58/60, 97% compared with n = 44/57, 77%; p < .0001) an average of 85 days earlier, p < .0001, β = −84.7 (–70.2 to −99.2), than historical controls.