Hendrick Health launches NICU live video streaming system for families

A new live video streaming system in the Hendrick Health Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) is enabling parents/guardians to see their newborns when they are not at the bedside.

Thanks to a $50,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Abilene (CFA), parents/guardians who are unable to be in the NICU 24/7 are now able to monitor their infant via a high-definition camera that transmits a live, web-based feed. Access is password protected, and the secure feed can be viewed on a smartphone or tablet. Parents/guardians also can share access with other family members, including those in other cities and states.

“The system helps parents reduce the stress and anxiety of being separated from the newborn,” said Alyssa Yanez, child life specialist at Hendrick Health.

Additionally, parents/guardians can monitor the infant’s care and learn the child’s routine, which is beneficial in the transition to home life after discharge, she said.

“Visual stimulus also has the potential to assist with milk flow during breastmilk expression when nursing mothers are separated from the infants,” said Yanez.

CFA used proceeds from the Open Roads concert series to make a grant for the video streaming system that includes 17 cameras. Open Roads was established to enhance the downtown Abilene music scene and financially benefit Future Fund, CFA’s membership-supported endowment that makes grants to nonprofits serving local children and youth.

With the grant, Hendrick placed 13 cameras at the Hendrick Medical Center NICU and four more at the NICU at Hendrick Medical Center South. The system launched in late January and has had viewers from 12 states outside of Texas. Usage has grown, too, with 1,173 log-ins in March, compared to 986 in February.