The Neurocritical Care Follow-Up Program (NCFP) team starts connecting with patients and their families before they leave the ICU and offers support through the transitions back to home, specialty care and to school. 

We Help You Bridge from Hospital to Home, Specialty Care and School

Here’s what families can expect:

  • Assessing your child’s need for support: The NCFP team will consider your child’s diagnosis and ICU experience to determine how much follow-up help they need. Before introducing the team to you, we meet with your child’s care providers to figure out the specific level of support that’s right for them
  • Our team specifically looks at patients who have been diagnosed with: 
    • Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
    • Acute stroke
    • Refractory status epilepticus
    • Meningitis/meningoencephalitis
    • Cardiac arrest
    • ECMO survivorship
    • Critical illness requiring prolonged sedation
  • Family introduction to NCFP: A member of the NCFP team will contact you as your child gets ready to leave the PICU. You may be starting to think about what life after the PICU will be like and want to know more about your child’s physical, cognitive and emotional recovery during this time.
  • Working together and supporting you and your child during the transition out of the PICU, throughout the rest of their hospital stay and beyond: We know change can be difficult, so we will be available to help you as your child moves out of the PICU, through discharge from the hospital and back to home. This support includes listening to you and your child, advocating for you, working together with your pediatrician and specialty care providers and discussing your goals for your child.
  • Follow-up at home and support at school: Your child will be scheduled for an outpatient visit to the NCFP clinic approximately one month after their discharge.  

To help prepare for your visit to the NCFP clinic, our nurse will phone you to learn about your child’s progress and to find out any concerns you might want to address. You will also receive our NCFP Screening Questionnaire the week of your child’s clinic appointment. This questionnaire helps us further assess common post-ICU concerns including sleep, pain, quality of life and family impact.

If your child is preparing to enter school or is currently in school, our education liaison will be in contact with you to discuss your child’s current needs. Our goal is to make the transition to school as smooth as possible. Our liaison is available to communicate with the school about your child’s medical, behavioral and educational needs and advocate for any accommodations needed. Our education liaison serves as a bridge between you, the hospital and your school.