A new telehealth program at Primary Children's Hospital will help keep NICU babies closer to home. The program began during the pandemic. A view of Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City. (Courtesy Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital)
SALT LAKE CITY — A new telehealth program at Primary Children’s Hospital will help keep NICU babies closer to home.
Dr. Betsy Ostrander, associate professor of Pediatric Neurology at the University of Utah and Primary Children’s says it started out as a necessity during the pandemic. Now, she says, the hospital has realized how beneficial it was.
“We could, using a telehealth platform, be at the bedside, guide the neurological exam, review imaging with the local providers and parents, as well as performing the necessary neuromonitoring,” Ostrander says.
Along with this, she says the hospital can video chat with doctors and families.
“We also can show on a video a neurological exam of a baby and help guide the local team with specific maneuvers that we think might be helpful,” Ostrander says.
Ostrander says the hospital wants to expand the telehealth program outside of Utah.
“If surrounding states can benefit from that as well, we’re available,” she says.