Similar to other telemedicine programs at Wise Health System, the goal of the TeleNICU Telemedicin program is to provide access to specialty care in the nursery setting.
Infants born at Wise Health System with acute problems or complications have immediate access to a neonatologist specializing in newborn care at Children’s Health System of Dallas. This may allow infants and their families to stay at Wise Health System rather than being unnecessarily transferred. And in cases where a transfer is recommended, the transfer process is quicker when the consultation has already taken place.
Consults in the TeleNICU program can occur in two ways – either as an urgent consult or a scheduled consult.
Urgent Consult
When an infant has acute problems that need immediate consultation and decision-making, the Wise Health System nursery physician can request an urgent consult, which grants a visit with the neonatologist at Children’s within a matter of minutes. Infants who may benefit from this consult can be those born prematurely, those with respiratory disorders, birth defects, infection or other acute abnormalities.
Scheduled Consult
An infant with less severe health issues, not requiring an immediate consultation, but requiring a second opinion or follow-up recommendations for specialty care, may be seen through a scheduled consult. In this situation, the Wise Health System nursery physician can request a consult at a time that is convenient for the infant’s family, as well as each provider (from Wise Health System and Children’s) to develop a plan for ongoing care and consultation.