Edinburgh Babylink – Yvonne Freer

BabyLink
improving communication
among clinicians
and with parents
Yvonne Freer
Claire Russell,
Russell Andy Lyon
Lyon,
Ben Stenson, Clevermed Ltd.
Expectations of
pregnancy and
d
parenthood
The NICU experience
• Environment
• Technology
Experience of an ill newborn
• Expectations of a baby
• Knowledge and skill
• Anxiety & uncertainty
Information
• Information is technical and bewildering
• Multiple staff
• Other sources
B b Li k study
BabyLink
t d
Objectives:
• To determine the feasibility of extracting and reporting
clinical data
• To
T show
h if BabyLink
B b Li k improved
i
d communication
i ti between
b t
parents and staff.
The electronic
baby record
• What is a ultrasound scan?
• Why has my baby had a scan?
• Is there a risk to my baby
having a scan?
• Why is my baby on
antibiotics?
• How are they being given?
NNU Clinical System
Internet website
www.babylink.info/edinburgh
www.babylink.info/edinburgh
www.babylink.info/edinburgh
NNU Clinical System
Patient
P
i information
i f
i
authoring software
Extraction/encryption
software
One way secure link
Parents’ queries
Clinical
knowledge
database
Diaries
Baby daily
Unit
clinical updates information
Secure web access –Internet
Home, website
Neonatal Unit, Community
A sample
p report
p
George has been continued on ventilation. He has
been in oxygen between 22 and 25%.
He continues on dopamine to help his blood pressure
4th Jan 2001 08:00
D i quite
Doing
i well.
ll No
N major
j changes
h
after
f the
h wardd roundd
…..The scans show that George has a grade 3
bleed This means that there is some blood in the
bleed.
ventricles of the brain and the ventricles are a bit
larger than normal. The ventricles are fluid filled
spaces we all have within the brain. This degree
of bleeding into the ventricles is of concern but its
significance
g
will depend
p
on how things
g pprogress
g
from here……….
Dear Mummyy and Daddy,
y,
Well, haven't I been a real wee super star?! I
have been off my CPAP
for AGES!!!! I keep on trying to make the
nurses take the whooshy machine away,
away but they
say not yet,in case I do something silly. What
they don't know is that I'm trying my hardest to
behave, cos I don't want to have to wear that
daft hat again!
The doctors have just been round,and they say
that I'm just brilliant! (I knew that already of
course but it's
course,
it s always nice when someone else
says it too!) I'm really enjoying my milk. It
really is the best stuff ever! Well, I'm going to
go now. Give Jack a big hug and kiss from me.
Lots of love and huge kisses,
Olivia XXXX
E l ti
Evaluation
Focus groups to design the questionnaire
Pre - BabyLink: 150 questionnaires; 76 % return
Post - BabyLink:
y
115 qquestionnaires; 71% return
Significant increase in the level of communication
with parents.
parents
p = 0.02
0 02
Parents more often in agreement with the decisions
made about their baby’s
y care.
p = 0.02
Parents expressed more confidence and trust in the
medical staff.
p = 0.03
Parents found medical staff to be more specific in
their information.
p = 0.03
Parents felt that they participated more in the care of their
baby.
p = 0.01
Parents felt more prepared for the transfer from ITU to
special care.
p = 0.01
P
Parents
t felt
f lt they
th received
i d the
th information
i f
ti they
th wanted
t d on
breast feeding and that it was helpful.
p = 0.05
Parents more likely to feel they have enough information in
preparation for discharge.
p = 0.03
Parents felt that they received more information on financial
p = 0.01
assistance.
Parents felt that they received more information on hospital
services.
p = 0.01
“hi just to say that we found this
project really useful especially
the parents reports, now that
Mary has been transferred back
to St Stephens, we will miss the
reports”,
“Hello and thank you for this
wonderful site
site. II'm
m viewing baby
from Chicago!. Wishing I could be
there to give her a wee kiss and
cuddle.
ddl Al
Also to give
i big
bi hugs
h
to her
h
fantastic parents and
ggrandparents!!”.
p
Helped many parents in their communication with the rest of the family
We have demonstrated the feasibility of an
automated system for giving parents, via the web,
information specific to their infant. Furthermore
it has had a positive effect on communication
within
ithi the
th unit
it andd on parents.
t
What next ?
• Further software development
p
• Development of parent reports
p
• Other units/other disciplines
Thank you
Funded by The Scottish
Telemedicine Initiative,
The Scottish Executive