AngelEye Cameras Give NICU Parents the Ability to Connect with Their Babies 24/7

In March 2020, as the coronavirus began to spread unchecked throughout the country, many hospitals were forced to implement restricted visitation policies to control the spread and protect patients and staff.

These restrictions, though necessary, affected families with infants hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)—parents were limited in their ability to visit the unit. As a result, the NICU started using virtual platforms immediately to communicate with parents and caregivers during daily rounding.

Staff were able to send one-way videos, pictures and text messages to patients' families, providing them with updates and information. Still, families could not observe their baby in real time.

Thanks to community donations to the Carilion Clinic Foundation, the NICU leadership team was able to purchase and integrate a more robust, family-friendly virtual platform called the AngelEye Camera System. The system allows parents and families to view their baby 24 hours a day via a real-time, secure live streaming video feed. During clinical care, a "baby away" message is displayed until patient care activities are complete.

“We can't imagine how hard it must be for a parent to leave their child in the care of complete strangers,” said Tiara Smolinski, BSN, RNC-NIC, unit director for the NICU. “Our hope is that AngelEye not only promotes bonding and provides comfort and reassurance, but also reduces stress and anxiety for families when they can’t be here."

With AngelEye’s secure, live-stream video, families can see their child's progress 24/7 using their phone, computer, or tablet. The camera is at the bedside, capturing their every movement in real-time. The easy-to-access app also includes a One-way Patient Update tool that allows the clinical staff to send parents vital updates and precious moments through text, photo, or recorded video, further engaging parents in their infant's care.

The AngelEye Platform also gives hospital staff an online education solution with hospital-specific information as well as expertly curated NICU-focused content, allowing parents to be active members of their infant's care.

Since going live with the cameras late October, the feedback from families has been overwhelmingly positive. In additional to providing uninterrupted access to their child, the cameras also allow for the parents to share access with other family members who cannot visit or who live further away.

"This program was 100% funded through generous donations," said Smolinski. "We are so appreciative of that support and have already seen the difference that it has made for our NICU families." 

To learn about ways to give, visit CarilionFoundation.org.