Why it matters: Newborns in rural communities will soon have faster access to specialty care without leaving their local hospitals.
The big picture: University of Utah Health is expanding its TeleNICU program beyond Utah, launching new sites in Montana and Wyoming with future expansion planned in Nevada.
How it works:
- TeleNICU connects Well Baby Nurseries with U of U Health neonatologists and the AirMed Perinatal Team 24/7
- Rural providers get real-time clinical support to assess and stabilize newborns who may need higher-level care
- The technology allows specialists to virtually observe resuscitations and speak directly with families before transport
By the numbers: The program currently serves four Utah sites (Tooele, Vernal, Price, and Lehi) with plans to reach 10 to 12 sites across the Mountain West in coming years.
What they’re saying: “We can see our patient, we can zoom in, we can actually watch the resuscitation happening, and then we can actually talk directly to parents and, um, and give them support and let them see a face that they’re going to see in a few hours,” says Dr. Kelli Lund, Medical Director of the AirMed Perinatal Team and Director of the TeleNICU Program at U of U Health.
The bottom line: TeleNICU helps reduce unnecessary transports, keeps mothers and babies together when possible, and builds lasting partnerships between rural hospitals and specialty care teams.