Dec 11 2013
On Nov. 1, Saint Peter's University Hospital installed a pilot program of NICVIEW, an innovative webcam system to connect babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to their families through live 24/7 video streaming.
The NICVIEW webcam system eases the trauma of NICU stays by providing otherwise impossible 24/7 access to the newborn during this crucial time for familial bonding. No matter where family is located, whether deployed overseas or just down the hall, the newborn is now as close as the nearest internet-enabled device. No matter the time, whether 2:00 a.m. or 2 p.m., virtual visits are possible, bringing reassurance and peace-of-mind to families.
"Our philosophy is that parents should feel like partners in their child's care," said Mark Hiatt, M.D., director of neonatology and of the NICU. "This allows us to extend that partnership visually, bringing us to new a level in parental communications."
The goal of the hospital is to have each of the 54 stations in the NICU to have its own camera. This would allow any parent to opt in or out of the system. "Imagine that a mom had twins and could take one home but the other had to stay in the hospital," says Dr. Hiatt. "Think she'd be pulled between her babies! With NICVIEW she can care for her infant at home and still stay in touch with the one here."
Press release avilable from http://www.prnewswire.com/
Source: https://www.nicview.net