Beginning in 1974, the Neonatal Follow-up Clinic at Women & Infants Hospital/The Warren Alpert Medical School had been under the directorship of Betty Vohr, MD.

It is one of the longest-running clinics of its kind in the United States. Renowned in her field, Dr. Vohr has fostered the ever-evolving and successful program that it is today. As the only site for Neonatal Follow-up in Rhode Island, the clinic has a robust patient population. The mission of the Neonatal Follow-up Clinic is based on a commitment of excellence in research, education, and clinical service.

Many neonatal-perinatal medicine fellows have undertaken important research projects, leading to publications in peer-reviewed journals.

Changing of the Guard

In January, 2022, after forty eight legendary years as Medical Director of the Follow-up Clinic, Dr. Vohr relinquished her role to Dr. McGowan, former Associate Medical Director. We are indebted to Dr. Vohr for her steadfast and expert leadership in so many realms. She will continue to see patients,  conduct research, and mentor fellows.

Dr. McGowan will continue Dr. Vohr's legacy of advancing the care of our infants; we are fortunate to have her at the helm!

Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine fellows spend 6 full days each year in the Neonatal Follow-up Clinic, attending clinic all day on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. There are opportunities for interested fellows to become trained in research-derived neurologic assessments. In addition, they participate in psycho-social support programs including the Transitions Home Plus (THP) program, and may accompany providers to home-visits.

Throughout their training, our fellows become facile with neurologic assessments and are exposed to a variety of neuro-psychologic screening and assessment tools. They are integral to the success of our follow-up program. 

The Neonatal Follow-up Clinic at Women & Infants Hospital/Brown is one of the few research longstanding sites participating  in the NICHD Neonatal Research Network (NRN).  Dr. Vohr has been involved in the NRN FU Study Committee as Coordinator/PI (1997-present) and Dr. McGowan as PI (Tufts Medical Center 2008)/Co-I (WIH 2014), resulting in a wealth of landmark publications in high-impact medical journals. 

Dr. Vohr's  career focuses on prospective randomized trials and observational case control studies examining the comprehensive neurodevelopmental, cognitive, speech/language and motor outcomes of very high risk infants.  Such groups of infants include the very low birth weight preterm infants, infants with hearing loss, and those exposed to socio-economic stressors.  Her research also includes innovative use of digital language processors (LENA^TM) to demonstrate early language vocalizations in preterm infants in the NICU.

Dr. McGowan also focuses on neurodevelopmental outcomes, with a particular interest in neonatal neurobehavior.  She collaborates not only with the NICHD NRN, but with the Brown Center for Children  (Dr. Barry Lester), utilizing the NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS) and participating in local and multi-center national research, including the multi-center NIH Neonatal Neurobehavior and Outcomes in Very Preterm Infants (NOVI) Study.

Women & Infants Hospital was the recipient of a $3 million grant award from the Federal Council on Medicare Spending (CMS). This honor was given to expand Dr. Vohr's  her original "Partnering with Parents" programs to the current, Medicaid funded WIH Transition Home Program (THP).  THP provide home-based care for fragile infants discharged from our NICU and exposed to environmental psych-social risk factors and health inequities. This proven "medical home model" has reduced re-hospitalization by almost 50% and continues to provide psychosocial support for high-risk mothers and infants. 

The clinic is staffed by Dr. Elisabeth McGowan (Medical Director), Dr. Betty Vohr (former medical director), Dr. Vita Lamberson, and Dr. Lenore (Mary) Keszler, as well as:

• pediatric nurse practitioner
• audiologists
• psychologists
• social worker
• ambulatory coordinator
• nutritionist
• data analyst

The Follow-up Clinic provides services to all high risk infants born at Women & Infants Hospital, as well as to patients referred from regional providers.  We partner with local pediatricians and health centers, as well as pediatric subspecialists, Early Intervention therapists, RIDOH, VNA, DCYF and local food banks on an as needed basis, to optimize outcomes for high risk infants and their families.

Assessments begin at birth through age 5.

Services that are provided for infants and families < 1 year of age:

Addressing medical and growth needs for the high risk infant, evaluation of infant behavior, review of psychosocial needs and health disparities, review of hearing and vision status, performance of standardized neurologic exams and completion of developmental screeners.

Services for children and families 1 year – 5 years of age:

Addressing medical and growth needs, neuropsychological assessments (cognitive, language and motor function), IQ testing, motor coordination assessments,  school readiness evaluations, review of psychosocial needs and health disparities.

Neonatal Follow-Up Manual

Drs. Vohr and McGowan continue to mentor and support fellows, residents and medical students in their research endeavors, covering a range of topics and areas of interest.  Fellows may also collaborate with the Brown School of Public Health and the Hassenfeld Research Scholars Program.

• On April 22, 2021, Dr. Vohr received the prestigious 2020 Virginia Apgar award from the Section on Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine (American Academy of Pediatrics). The award was presented virtually.  
• Dr. Vohr is Chair of the Rhode Island Hearing Advisory Committee. She was honored with the national Antonia Brancia Maxon Award for Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Excellence.
• Dr. Vohr was honored at the March 6, 2015 Graven's Conference Meeting with the Stan and Mavis Graven’s Leadership Award for Outstanding Contributions to Enhancing the Physical and Developmental Environment for High Risk Infants and their Families. This award is presented annually to an individual who has made a substantial contribution to the health and care of newborns in intensive care facilities; needless to say, Dr. Vohr is more than deserving of this wonderful honor. Dr. Vohr gave the following lecture during the meeting: Improving the Outcomes of NICU Preterm Infants: Past, Present, and Future.