Multicentre randomised study of the effect and experience of an early inhome programme (PreHomeCare) for preterm infants using video consultation and smartphone applications compared with inhospital consultations: protocol of the PreHomeCare study.

INTRODUCTION: Although premature infants and their parents are discharged earlier to inhomecare programmes, how to optimally support parents during this transition remains unknown. The aim of this study is to compare the effects of early inhomecare (PreHomeCare) including video consultations and mobile applications with those of inhospital consultations regarding breast feeding, parental confidence and parent-infant interactions.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A randomised controlled intervention study will be conducted in four neonatal departments offering PreHomeCare (ie, premature infant inhomecare) in Denmark. Parents of hospitalised premature infants who fulfil the inclusion criteria for PreHomeCare will be randomised during hospitalisation to either the intervention (n=80) or control group (n=80) using 1:1 block randomisation. During PreHomeCare, the intervention group will receive a smartphone application with a video system and an infant scale, and the control group will receive usual care (ie, hospital consultations). Additionally, both groups will have planned nurse consultations two to three times a week: the intervention group through video consultations and the control group through inhospital consultations. Data collection will occur at inclusion/baseline, at the end of PreHomeCare and 1 month after discharge using questionnaires and hospital records. The primary outcome is the proportion of exclusively breastfed infants 1 month after discharge/end of PreHomeCare, the secondary outcomes are parent-infant interactions measured by the Mother and baby interaction scale and family confidence in caring for infants measured by the Karitane Parenting Confidence Scale. The process evaluation will consist of two qualitative studies: a field study and an interview study. Data collection will initially involve field observations of three scheduled video consultations with six families from the intervention group. These families will also be interviewed 1 month after PreHomeCare has ended.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The project has been approved by the Regional Ethics Committee and the Danish Data Protection Agency.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02581800.