Neonatal World Conference 2026

Abstract

Healthcare across disciplines is characterized by increasing complexity, high acuity and the need to balance
technological interventions with human factors. Regulation in clinical settings is addressed often through
isolated measures, while its systemic and relational dimension remain less explicit.
The presentation proposes regulation as a clinical system property, illustrated through insights from neonatal
care.

Neonatal intensive care provides a unique perspective on regulation, as preterm and critically ill infants have
very limited capacity of self-regulation and depend on external support.
Stress physiology, hormonal modulation, caregiving practices and organizational structures interact
continuously. Regulation therefore emerges not from single interventions but from the coordination and
organization of multiple system components.

The presentation demonstrates how identical clinical elements can lead to differents outcomes depending on
their organization. Parental involvement is framed as a biologically relevant regulatory interface and
professional care teams are positioned as a system modulators shaping timong, predicatability and
exposure. Schematic and visual system models are used to make these interactions visible and accessible.

Understanding regulation as a system process may support inter-professional collaboration, improve
prioritization under pressure and contribute to more stable conditions for effective clinical care across
settings.