Centralized User Interface for the Monitoring of Neonatal Intensive

Care Patients

Erin Lynne Scott

Dr. Bill Walsh

1.26.04

Vanderbilt NICU

• 42 Feeding Hospitals – 500+ Transports a year

– Distance of 100+ Miles

• 56 Patient Beds • Cost in the NICU is

~$2000/day• Average stay is 17 days

Problem Definitions

• Parents and Families of babies in the Vanderbilt NICU are often 100+ miles away from child

• Noises, alarms, and other distractions in NICU during key developmental stages of babies

Suggested Solutions

• Live Image Feed of Child fed to – Nurses Station– Doctor’s Offices

• Requiring Secure ID for each doctor

– Home Computers• Requiring Secure ID for each patient

– Mother’s Room in Hospital • Via portable computer w/ wireless access

Customer Requirements

• No Interference w/ Other Equipment• Minimum Development and Deployment

Costs & Schedule• Easy to use• Limited Maintenance Cost & Effort• Secure Connections • Meets HIPAA Regulations

Technical Requirements

• Wireless Network (Available)• Host Server (Available)• Wireless Internet Cameras • Secure Program • Program Development

– JAVA, Database, Tomcat Server

• Administrator – Need to decide who will/can fill this role on a daily

basis

Current Work• Defining the technical requirements

– Compile into a Digital QFD

• Downloaded/Installed– Tomcat Server

– JAVA Developer Kit

• Learning/Editing simple prototype program • Refined Storyboard of pages in program• Defined the functions in the program

Future Work

• January:Build Model/Program/Test

Brainstorm Attachment

• February:  Finish Building/TestingParent SurveyUser/Nurse SurveyBuild AttachmentInstall/Test in NICU

• March:

Continue Installation and Testing in NICU

Adapt Model/Website to Survey results

• April:

Finalize Report

Prepare for Presentation

Future Work

• Program preliminary version of program

• Build HTML pages around program

• Add Database to the back end

• Debug / Test with users

• Order cameras – need to call Linksys support to confirm details

Challenges

• Camera Technology

• Currently having some file corruption in my Tomcat folder, hope to resolve issue shortly

• VU Children’s Hospital Opening – Postponed indefinitely

Questions, Ideas, Suggestions?