This site has been developed for families of very low birth weight infants receiving care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, MA.

This project was funded by the National Library of Medicine's National Telemedicine Initiative to provide educational and emotional support to families of high-risk newborns both during their hospitalization and following discharge. We believe that innovative use of emerging telemedicine technology will not only lead to shorter hospital stays but will also increase parental understanding and comfort, increase parental satisfaction with their baby's NICU care, improve the child's overall health status, improve clinician satisfaction, and provide a clear cost savings.

An evaluation study of this technology has been underway since December 1, 1997. Families in the intervention group receive a home telemedicine workstation with a video camera, ISDN access, and web connectivity. The technology allows a family to view information about caring for their baby, to see daily updates of their baby's clinical data, and to hold scheduled live videoconferences from home to see their baby in the NICU.

Baby Care Link won the following award in the Games:

Philadelphia, PA (May 27-28, 1998):

• Outstanding Quality Award
• I've Done My Homework Award

Contact information:

Grace Pompilio
Nurse Informaticist
Center for Clinical Computing
350 Longwood Avenue
Boston, MA 02115

Telephone: 617-667-0010
Fax: 617-667-1002

Email: alevy@bidmc.harvard.edu
Web: http://clinquery.bidmc.harvard.edu/nicu_public/default.htm

http://odphp.osophs.dhhs.gov/confrnce/partnr98/Showcase/BabyCareLink.htm