Staying in touch matters, especially for a child hospitalized for an extended length of time. Knowing that long hospital stays can make patients and their family feel disconnected, McLane Children's Hospital, part of Baylor Scott & White Health, is the first children's hospital in the nation to bring family and friends closer using an in-room patient video technology called iCareConnectTM.
"It's an important thing for a child and their parents to feel connected, especially when their child is in the hospital." said John Boyd, MD, president and chief medical officer of McLane Children's Hospital and Clinics. "We understand that some of our patients and their family members have to be separated at times due to work or other reasons, so we wanted to give them an opportunity to stay connected if they couldn't be at the hospital."
iCareConnect™ is a HIPAA-compliant tool that works with Skylight Healthcare Systems' interactive patient system to bring family, friends, and care team members to the patient's bedside. By using a webcam, the in-room TV and the telephone, iCareConnect™ gives the patient the opportunity to have a face-to-face visit with family and friends unable to visit the hospital.
"One of the common things we see among hospitalized children is a desire for them to see and talk with their parents and friends," said Jaylee Hilliard, director of patient and family support services at McLane Children's Hospital. "With this new tool, we hope it will help provide additional support for children who are recovering in the hospital."
For more information about the Skylight's interactive patient system and other resources for families at McLane Children's, visit http://www.swchildrens.org/for-patients-families/family-resource-center. For more information about iCareConnectTM, visithttp://www.skylight.com/skylight-solutions/inpatient-solutions/icareconnect/
About Baylor Scott & White Health
As the largest not-for-profit health system in the state of Texas, Baylor Scott & White promotes the health and well-being of every individual, family and community it serves. It is committed to making quality care more accessible, convenient and affordable through its integrated delivery network, which includes the Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, the Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance and its leading digital health platform – MyBSWHealth. Through 51 hospitals and more than 1,200 access points, including flagship academic medical centers in Dallas, Fort Worth and Temple, the system offers the full continuum of care, from primary to award-winning specialty care. Founded as a Christian ministry of healing more than a century ago, Baylor Scott & White today serves more than three million Texans. For more information, visit: BSWHealth.com