Digital platform 'TE VROEG'
Te Vroeg is a digital platform that brings together reliable and relevant information about preterm birth. The platform serves as a compass to guide parents of (former) preterm infants towards appropriate care and support, both from healthcare professionals and their wider environment. Through testimonials and peer experiences, this digital tool aims to connect parents with one another.
TE VROEG: a platform to support parents of prematurely born children
The development of the digital platform is based on a user-centred design (UCD) model, characterised by the active involvement of users — in this case, parents — through co-creation and a multidisciplinary approach. The UCD model is an iterative design process consisting of four phases (understand, define, design, and evaluate), which are repeated multiple times to refine the platform based on new insights. Due to the iterative nature of the UCD model, evaluation with the target group is required at every step in terms of functionalities, flow, design, and content.
The co-creative approach and network-based strategy contribute to the successful and sustainable implementation of this digital platform, enabling Te Vroeg to grow into the reference platform for prematurity in Flanders/Belgium.
Preterm birth refers to all births that occur before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Each year, 15 million babies — or 1 in 10 — are born prematurely worldwide. In Belgium, this figure is approximately 8%. Preterm birth is the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality and often results in admission to a neonatal (intensive) care unit. For parents, this marks the beginning of a difficult, emotional, and stressful period. Research shows that parents seek information about prematurity, advice, (social) support, and contact with peers. However, healthcare professionals are concerned about the quality of online information. There is a clear need for high-quality, reliable, and evidence-based digital resources for parents of (former) preterm infants. Such digital solutions are currently lacking in neonatal care. Moreover, information about prematurity is fragmented, making it difficult for parents to gain a clear overview of available care and support.
To address this, the digital platform Te Vroeg is being developed to support parents of (former) preterm infants, consolidate information about prematurity, and guide parents towards appropriate care and support. An additional goal of the project is to build, together with parents and various organisations and stakeholders, a network of expertise on prematurity in Flanders/Belgium.
Partners
The project was submitted with VVOC and Cokoen as partners. Furthermore, several organizations and stakeholders are involved in the advisory group of the Te Vroeg platform. More information: https://www.tevroeg.be/contact
