Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
In neonatal intensive care units across the country, critically ill newborns are in a race against time, while families often wait weeks — or even months — for answers. New research from Tufts Medical Center shows there’s a better way.
We explore how rapid whole genome sequencing nearly doubles diagnostic rates in critically ill infants compared to standard testing — and can save the health care system hundreds of thousands of dollars per baby when used early. It’s a powerful example of whole child health in action: faster answers reduce suffering, guide care, shorten NICU stays and challenge how we think about value in pediatric medicine.
Featuring:
Tara Lavelle, PhD, Investigator, Center for the Evaluation of Value and Risk in Health, Tufts Medical Center
Jonathan Davis, MD, Vice Chair, Pediatrics, Tufts Medical Center
Host/Producer: Carol Vassar
In neonatal intensive care units across the country, critically ill newborns are in a race against time, while families often wait weeks — or even months — for answers. New research from Tufts Medical Center shows there’s a better way.
We explore how rapid whole genome sequencing nearly doubles diagnostic rates in critically ill infants compared to standard testing — and can save the health care system hundreds of thousands of dollars per baby when used early. It’s a powerful example of whole child health in action: faster answers reduce suffering, guide care, shorten NICU stays and challenge how we think about value in pediatric medicine.
Featuring:
Tara Lavelle, PhD, Investigator, Center for the Evaluation of Value and Risk in Health, Tufts Medical Center
Jonathan Davis, MD, Vice Chair, Pediatrics, Tufts Medical Center
Host/Producer: Carol Vassar
