CHRISTUS St. Michael Unveils New Camera System for NICU Monitoring

Parents of newborn infants in the NICU at CHRISTUS St. Michael Hospital now have access to 24-hour video monitoring with the installation of the new NICVIEW camera system.

NICVIEW includes a mounted camera at a baby’s bed space and allows for livestreaming video of hospitalized newborns through a password-protected system accessible on smart phones, tablets, or computers with an internet connection.

“As the regional leader in innovative health care, we are continually striving to provide advanced services and technology for those we serve in Texarkana and the surrounding community,” said Jason Adams, president, CHRISTUS St. Michael Hospital. “The NICVIEW camera system helps extend family-centered care by giving family members a virtual window to their newborns in our NICU.”

The baby’s parents are given unique username and passwords that allow access to a livestream of their child. The system is livestream only, with no capability to record or store video or images and can be turned on/off as needed.

Twenty cameras have been installed in the CHRISTUS St. Michael NICU, thanks to a gift from non-profit group Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, which offers support and resources to families with babies in the NICU across the region.

“Our family has had cameras for the NICU at St. Michael on our radar since our personal NICU journey six years ago,” said Catie Swenson, co-founder of Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. Most of the organizations that stepped up to help us with the funds needed to cover the total amount for 20 NICVIEW cameras will probably never fully understand the peace of mind they have provided for NICU families for years to come. It has been an honor to see this come full circle."

Currently, more than 300 medical centers in the United States are using the NICVIEW camera system in their NICUs.

The system meets all HIPAA compliance standards and is provided free of charge to families with babies in the NICU’s care.

“We are so grateful to those who supported the efforts of Fearfully and Wonderfully Made to raise the funds for such a great technology,” said Rebecca Barr, clinical director, CHRISTUS St. Michael NICU. “We know how hard it is for parents to not be at the bedside of their child. This allows them to remain in close contact, even when they are away.”

CHRISTUS St. Michael also recognized the numerous donors who made the NICVIEW camera purchase possible: The Carlow Family, Christian Warriors Church, CHRISTUS St. Michael Foundation, City Church, City Church Student Ministries, Collom & Carney OB/GYN, Company Dance, Cooper Tire, Margaret Dowd, In memory of Harlan Drake Engle, Judy and David Folsom, Friends for a Cause, Guaranty Bank & Trust, The Howell Family, Ledwell Office Solutions, The McCulloch Family, The McDaniel Family, MeMe & Papa Jeff, In memory of Gayble Moss and Kylee Sullivan, Maurice Orr Red River Federal Credit Union, Remember Me with Joy, Rocky Mound Baptist Church, Tacos for Life.