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Am J Perinatol 2024; 41(S 01): e1205-e1211
DOI: 10.1055/a-2001-8520
Original Article

Webcam Use in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit during the First Year of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

Shubham Mangla
1   Department of Anesthesiology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin
,
Adrienne Stolfi
2   Department of Pediatrics, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
,
Lisa Jasin
3   Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Dayton Children's Hospital, Dayton, Ohio
,
Izumi Yamashita
3   Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Dayton Children's Hospital, Dayton, Ohio
,
Greg Bader
4   Clinical Informatics Department, Dayton Children's Hospital, Dayton, Ohio
,
Savana Howard
3   Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Dayton Children's Hospital, Dayton, Ohio
,
Abiodun Omoloja 
2   Department of Pediatrics, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
4   Clinical Informatics Department, Dayton Children's Hospital, Dayton, Ohio
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Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate patterns of webcam use in families of patients admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) during the first year of the pandemic and characterize the families who used the technology.

Study Design Retrospective chart review of the medical records and logins of our live webcam system was conducted for 2020.

Results From January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020, 843 infants were admitted to the NICU, with lengths of stay range of 1 to 169 days. More than half (n = 496, 58.8%) of all families of infants admitted to the NICU used the webcam system during the period of study. The number of webcam users did not change between the pre-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and during COVID-19 time periods, or during versus after NICU visitor restrictions. Among webcam users, the median (interquartile range) number of logins per day was 2.9 (2.9) and ranged from 0 to 44. There were significant differences among races, site of admission, and diagnosis groups. Families of White infants had more frequent use compared with families of Black infants. Families of infants admitted for surgical reasons had more frequent use compared with those admitted for medical reasons. Among 284 of the 496 (57.3%) webcam users, we documented logins from 37 states in the United States and from 10 different countries.

Conclusion Webcam use is common in the NICU. There was no increase in webcam use within the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in the NICU. More studies are needed to evaluate how this technology is used in the NICU and its impact on patients and families.

Key Points

  • Webcam use in the NICU is common.

  • Visitor restrictions did not increase webcam use.

  • We observed racial differences in webcam use.

Keywords

NICU - webcam - neonate - COVID-19

Note

For author S.M., this work was done while he was a medical student at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, Dayton OH.


Author IY has since left Dayton Children's Hospital.




Publication History

Received: 12 August 2022

Accepted: 14 December 2022

Accepted Manuscript online:
20 December 2022

Article published online:
16 January 2023

© 2023. Thieme. All rights reserved.

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