# Developing Clinical Benchmarks and Quality Indicators forLate Preterm Infants During the Birth Hospitalization

> **NIH NIH K23** · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $165,780

## Abstract

PROJECT ABSTRACT
The candidate, Neha S Joshi, MD MS, is a physician scientist and neonatal hospitalist who seeks to identify
clinical benchmarks and quality markers for late preterm infants during the birth hospitalization. Dr. Joshi is
seeking a K23 award to become an expert independent investigator in the identification of high value care
practices for newborn care. Late preterm infants comprise of 280,000 infants born in the United States
annually. Approximately 40% of these infants require NICU care, though considerable variability exists
amongst institutions for their clinical management and admission location. This variability likely comes at both
a financial cost, in addition to the patient-level cost of separation of the mother-infant dyad and its associated
risks including breastfeeding and bonding. In order to minimize variability and optimize care for late preterm
infants, Dr. Joshi is proposing the following Aims: Aim 1: Evaluate current clinical morbidities and medical
intervention rates in management of late preterm infants during the birth hospitalization. Aim 2: Test the
association of institutional structural variables with late preterm care outcomes all California births. Aim 3:
Develop process measures/clinical benchmarks, structural measures, and outcome measures for late preterm
infants. Dr. Joshi will leverage the strengths of two large research networks – the California Perinatal Quality
Care Collaborative and the Better Outcomes through Research for Newborns Network – to help achieve these
aims. Dr. Joshi is mentored by exceptional leaders in research networks for well newborn and NICU care,
health services research, perinatal outcomes research, implementation science, and the clinical care of late
preterm infants. Their directed mentorship, a robust training plan, and proposed research aims will complement
her prior training in Pediatric Hospital Medicine and Clinical Research and Epidemiology. Career development
activities include a training plan focused on leveraging large academic datasets for research, development of
quality care indicators, advanced principles in implementation science, and scientific/grant writing and
scholarship dissemination. Dr. Joshi will benefit from the world-class research and clinical environment, and
renowned expertise at Stanford University. At the conclusion of this award, Dr. Joshi will be optimally
positioned to establish and lead implementation efforts and quality measurement for late preterm infants and
well newborn care.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11053651
- **Project number:** 1K23HD114878-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** NEHA SHIRISH JOSHI
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $165,780
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-30 → 2029-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11053651

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11053651, Developing Clinical Benchmarks and Quality Indicators forLate Preterm Infants During the Birth Hospitalization (1K23HD114878-01A1). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/11053651. Licensed CC0.

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