Camera System Connects NICU Babies with their Families
The Medical Center is the first hospital in Kentucky to install NICVIEW, an innovative camera system that allows for streaming video of babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The $35,000 investment in the new system will include 10 cameras.
“Bonding with a new baby is so important, but when a baby is born prematurely or sick and must be cared for in the NICU, bonding can be a challenge when parents and their baby can’t be together all the time,” said Caitlin Burklow, Director of Women’s Services for The Medical Center. “NICVIEW allows that bonding to occur by giving parents the opportunity to stay connected with their baby through video streaming even if miles apart.”
The NICVIEW system includes a small camera that is mounted to a baby’s bed or incubator. The system allows for video streaming through a secure online portal. NICU staff can post notes in the portal to share information with parents about baby’s activities.
The portal is accessible from any web-enabled computer or mobile device. All video and information are secured with up to 256-bit SSL encryption, the current web security standard. Usernames and passwords are only issued to parents who consent to use the system. Parents are advised to safeguard their username and password, but parents can choose to share the information with family and friends at their discretion.
The implementation of the new camera system is just one enhancement to The Medical Center’s Obstetrics and Neonatology Services. A recent renovation includes a new waiting area for families, a new triage area in Labor & Delivery and a new Obstetrics Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) in Labor & Delivery.
About The Medical Center Obstetrics and Neonatology Services
The Medical Center is the sole provider of OB services in Warren County and offers the only NICU and Neonatology Services in Southcentral Kentucky. Neonatology Services includes a team of physicians, registered nurses and respiratory therapists who are trained to provide specialized neonatal care for newborns with a variety of conditions including prematurity (babies born less than 37 weeks gestation), infection and respiratory problems. In fiscal year ending April 2014, The Medical Center delivered 2,355 babies. The NICU cared for 215 babies during that same time period.
