TeleNICU: Bringing Advanced Newborn Care to Our Rural Community
Access to quality healthcare is important for any community, but rural areas often face challenges—especially when it comes to specialized care for newborns. Services like neonatal intensive care (NICU) are not always available close to home, which can be stressful for families.
TeleNICU technology is helping change that. Door County Medical Center (DCMC) has partnered with HSHS St. Vincent Children's Hospital to connect local providers with neonatal experts through telemedicine. This program helps ensure that newborns can get advanced care when they need it most.
What is TeleNICU?
TeleNICU (Tele–Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) connects local healthcare teams with remote neonatologists. Using secure video, monitoring tools, and real-time data, specialists can guide care without being in the room.
In simple terms, when a newborn needs advanced care, a specialist from St. Vincent can virtually join the team at DCMC. They help with critical decisions like breathing support, medications, and whether a transfer is needed.
How TeleNICU Works
When there is a newborn emergency, staff use a mobile cart with cameras and equipment to start a virtual consultation. Within minutes, a neonatologist can observe the baby and guide care in real time.
Using secure video conferencing, digital monitoring tools, and real-time data sharing, specialists can assess, guide, and support care without being physically present.
Dr. Shane Colvin explains, “In order to make sure that we're prepared for medical emergencies, or in case we need an extra set of eyes… the TeleNICU is here. It gives us that extra sense of security… knowing that it's available.”
Dr. Megan Linn, HSHS St. Vincent Children’s Hospital NICU Medical Director and Board-Certified Neonatologist, states, “HSHS St. Vincent Children’s Hospital’s NICU has been participating in TeleNICU services for several years and it has been a great asset to both care teams and families. TeleNICU allows us to provide assistance remotely to medical teams caring for babies during high stress situations when support is most needed.”
What TeleNICU Means for Our Community
Access to Expert Care
TeleNICU gives DCMC 24/7 access to neonatal specialists. This allows newborns to receive expert care without traveling long distances.
“With TeleNICU, we can aid rural teams in assisting with a safe and healthy transition following birth, reducing unnecessary transfers while also allowing us to streamline and expedite the transition of care to a referral center like ours for NICU care when ongoing support is needed,” says Dr. Linn. “We have been able to provide a more accurate assessment of infants using this technology, intervening earlier if needed, which can help to improve outcomes.”
Keeping Families Together
In some cases, babies need to be transferred to larger hospitals, which separates families. TeleNICU helps reduce these transfers so families can stay together.
Jessica Skinner, a labor and delivery nurse, says, “If we can keep them here with the expertise… that might keep the mom and baby together… closer to home.”
New mom Katie shared, “We were so lucky to have TeleNICU… I thought that he was going to have to leave… But because of TeleNICU, we were able to stay together as a family… They kept us informed the whole way.”
Faster Emergency Care
TeleNICU allows specialists to assist immediately during emergencies. This means the care team has expert support right away.
Lower Costs
Avoiding unnecessary transfers can reduce healthcare costs. TeleNICU can also shorten hospital stays and improve efficiency.
Support for Local Providers
TeleNICU helps doctors and nurses by giving them access to expert advice and ongoing learning. This improves care and builds confidence.
Better Outcomes for Newborns
Quick and accurate care is critical for newborns. TeleNICU helps ensure babies get the right treatment at the right time, leading to better health outcomes.
Why TeleNICU Matters
Having TeleNICU at Door County Medical Center means families can feel confident in the care available close to home.
“Knowing that Door County Medical Center is able to handle these emergency situations using TeleNICU… It makes me feel totally confident in coming back,” says Zia, a local mom.
TeleNICU is more than just technology—it helps bring expert care to rural communities, keeps families together, and improves outcomes for newborns. It ensures that where a baby is born does not limit the quality of care they receive.
For more information, visit our Telemedicine Technology TeleNICU webpage.
A Partnership of Possibilities
The partnership between HSHS and DCMC is charting the course for new ways of supporting rural health centers. In fact, HSHS also partners with OSF St. Francis Medical in Escanaba, Mich. with TeleNICU. DCMC’s partnership with HSHS runs deep. You can learn more about all the ways HSHS and DCMC work together to ensure the availability of world-class healthcare in Door County.
