Open-access content
Friday 1st May 2009
1 May 2009
Mothers separated from their prematurely born infants are watching the newborns through a modified videoconference system at a Scottish hospital.
The Princess Royal Maternity Hospital in Glasgow has been trialing the systems that have been specially developed by Norwegian tele-presence and videoconferencing maker Tandberg.
The "babycams" are set up in intensive care units and mothers in other parts of the hospital can watch their child on a bedside monitor.
In one instance, a mother who suffered kidney failure and other complications after the premature birth of her daughter was transferred next door to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary for dialysis treatment. Her baby remained in the neonatal unit at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital and mother was able to keep in touch with her child with the babycam.
The mother said the "the picture was so clear that I could see every move my daughter made. It was reassuring to see the nurses feeding her and taking care of her, as opposed to just being told about it or seeing pictures of her."
Steve Woollett, head of public sector business at Tandberg, said other uses of videoconferencing technology are being explored. These include more instant and remote diagnosis, cost savings from the transportation of CD/VHS records between physical sites, teaching and training, enhancing collaboration and time management in cancer treatment and also managing unnecessary A&E admissions.
Mothers separated from their prematurely born infants are watching the newborns through a modified videoconference system at a Scottish hospital.
The Princess Royal Maternity Hospital in Glasgow has been trialing the systems that have been specially developed by Norwegian tele-presence and videoconferencing maker Tandberg.
The "babycams" are set up in intensive care units and mothers in other parts of the hospital can watch their child on a bedside monitor.
In one instance, a mother who suffered kidney failure and other complications after the premature birth of her daughter was transferred next door to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary for dialysis treatment. Her baby remained in the neonatal unit at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital and mother was able to keep in touch with her child with the babycam.
The mother said the "the picture was so clear that I could see every move my daughter made. It was reassuring to see the nurses feeding her and taking care of her, as opposed to just being told about it or seeing pictures of her."
Steve Woollett, head of public sector business at Tandberg, said other uses of videoconferencing technology are being explored. These include more instant and remote diagnosis, cost savings from the transportation of CD/VHS records between physical sites, teaching and training, enhancing collaboration and time management in cancer treatment and also managing unnecessary A&E admissions.