Babies in the U.T. Medical Center Neonatal intensive Care Unit (NICU) are monitored around the clock by their parents and the dedicated doctors and nurses. Until now, that monitoring was done in person.
Today, the hospital has a new, internet-based camera system available in each private room that lets parents and family members check in on the baby any time they want.
"It's called 'Angel Eye'", Nurse Manager Kim Massey said. "The parents can view their babies on their own devices whether they're at home, they can go across the country and still be able to put it up. They can use their own computer, iPhone, their own tablet, any type of device."
"Angel Eye" allows the parents access to live streaming of their babies 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Mom or dad can can control who is added to their list of people able to log in and see the live camera.
"Sometimes the mothers are still in the hospital, sometimes they're very ill, so they can see the babies from their hospital bed until they can get here so it's a wonderful tool," Massey said.
"I wake up in the middle of the night just like they were home," Edward, a parent whose twin daughters were born nearly 3 months premature, said. "You know, you wake up in the middle of the night and you're like 'let's see what the girls are doing'. Just log in and poof, there they are."
The "Angel Eye" cameras are a new addition to the hospital and they hope to add more in an upcoming renovation project.
"People want to be here with their baby and circumstance have it where they can't be here all the time," Massey said. "Now they can see them from home and have the security that the baby is being taken care of."