Medical Center’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit now has cameras that let parents and family members keep track of their newborns even when they can’t be at the hospital.
These multi-use cameras allow care teams to share patient status updates and memorable moments with real-time texts, pictures and record videos. Angel Eye also allows for a continual video feed from the baby’s isolette/crib through a protected password, HIPAA-compliant website, a news release detailed.
The cameras are at the bedside of the baby.
“It allows the families and the moms and the dads to be able to see the baby when they’re not able to be here, or if mom’s really sick and she’s upstairs and postpartum or labor and delivery. It just gives them that extra comfort of being able to see their baby,” said Tammy Watson, unit director of the NICU and pediatrics. “The Angel Eye System even has a thing where we can turn it on night view. So when it’s dark outside and the rooms are going to be dark, we’re able to turn that on and they can still see their baby, even when it’s dark.”
They have had families from Alpine, for example, that had other children and were only able to come to Odessa once or twice a week to see their baby.
“They can log on anytime and see their baby and it is very comforting to them; really decreases their stress,” Watson said.
The cameras are on 24/7. The only time they are turned off is when they are doing patient care, Watson said. As soon they’re done, Watson said, the camera is turned back on.
“We have the primary and the secondary, the mom and the dad, or whoever she decides needs to be the secondary. They’re able to get text messages from us. We tell them the weights at night. We give them information about feedings, things like that and that really gives them a lot of information a lot quicker,” Watson said.
Families can add as many people as they want to sign onto their account.
No matter where they are, grandparents, aunts or other relatives can view the baby. Watson added that there is no limit on the number of people who can log in.
It is HIPPA compliant and very secure, she said.
“The company for the Angel Eye makes sure of that and they also work with our IT team to ensure it’s secure,” Watson said.
Watson said there are 28 rooms and 15 cameras.
“That’s something we’re going to be working on over the next year is to purchase the rest and that way we have cameras in every room,” she added.
Watson said they had been working on this project for about a year.
“It takes a lot of time with IT … to get all of this put together,” Watson said. “We went live in December.”
She added that the families have loved it, especially with COVID when the only people able to visit are mom plus one, which is typically dad.
“… You’ve got all these grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters that can’t come in see the babies. This has been really great for them to be able to be part of the baby’s stay and seeing the sweet babies,” Watson said.
She added that the small cameras help build an emotional connection with family members who can’t be there.
It is also available on a free app from MCH.
“… They’re already really bonding with those babies, even though they’re not able to be here,” Watson said.
It has helped the nurses, as well.
“We have noticed and a lot less phone calls from families. They’re sitting at home, they’re worrying. They would call several times, which we don’t mind at all … But we have noticed a … downshift in how many phone calls we get, because they’re able to look for themselves and make sure everything is good. So that helps our nurses tremendously,” she added.
Watson said babies can stay in the NICU anywhere from a few days to four to six months, depending on how early they are and how sick they are.
The Angel Eye Camera system is made possible by the Ace Hardware Foundation through their Helping Hand Grant Program. Through this donation, Children’s Miracle Network at MCHS was able to purchase 15 Angel Eye Cameras, the release said.
Haley Swack, program director of Children’s Miracle Network, said MCH is one of 10 program hospitals in the United States to receive funding for these cameras.
Swack said they applied for the funds in 2020.
“We’re just so proud and so thankful to the Ace Hardware Helping Hand Foundation for this donation,” Swack added.
Brandy Labban was sitting with her daughter, Kinley, who was born late last week at 5 pounds, 2 ozs. She and her husband Lawrence live in the Houston area and are adopting Kinley.
“It’s been really helpful with the Angel Eye and having her as a new mom. When we first were here, we thought we would be going home a lot sooner,” Labban said.
She added that they have a Ronald McDonald room at the hospital, so that has been helpful, too.
“Whenever I’m not here, I’m able to watch her just like a baby cam and know what’s going on with her during the day. … We’re from the Houston area and so grandparents are able to log in; husband’s logging in and able to check in on her and they’re sending me messages and stuff. It’s been really convenient and nice to have it,” she said.
Kinley is in the NICU because of her sugar levels, Labban said.
“They’re trying to stabilize her. She was what they call not early, but not full term. She was right in that cusp in between so she’s a little underweight. She was 18 and a half inches long, so she’s pretty long but she’s just really, really tiny. And so with her sugar levels being off, they had to bring her down to the NICU to try to get it stabilized,” Labban said.
She added that she likes being able to see that Kinley is being taken care of 24 hours a day. However, Labban said Wednesday she hasn’t left the baby’s room about 10 times since she got there.
Her family members have enjoyed being able to look at Kinley and see her sleeping peacefully.
“My father likes to call and say, ‘Hey, she’s moving; go help her. … But it is so you know, like just little interactions like that. I guess it makes them feel comfortable not being able to be here with her …,” Labban said.
