Advancing Neonatal Care in Maine Communities
Dr. Craig performs a teleconsult during her launch of the Maine NET program.
Advancing Neonatal Care in Maine Communities
Dr. Craig performs a teleconsult during her launch of the Maine NET program.
Innovations that check all the boxes: resource utilization, support and education and increased preparedness
In rural Maine, newborn babies have less access to specialists. To eliminate this health care disparity, two innovative programs were launched from Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The first, in 2018, was a telemedicine program named Maine NET, spearheaded by neonatal neurologist Alexa Craig, MD. Funded through research grants, Maine NET provides real-time telemedicine consults to babies in distress across the state.
The second innovative program was developed by two neonatologists, Drs. Misty Melendi and Allison Zanno. Partnering with the Hannaford Simulation Center, their team launched a simulation training program and took their high-tech equipment on the road to all MaineHealth hospitals. This program gives rural hospital primary care providers opportunities to practice and refine the skills they need to save the life of a distressed newborn.
“These innovations check all the boxes: resource utilization across a rural state, support and education for our physicians and interprofessional care team members, and increased preparedness for low frequency high acuity events,” said Dr. Craig.
Bridging Education and Innovation
Michael Ferguson, MD, MTeach, demonstrating the augmented reality simulation of a newborn in distress. Photo: Black Fly Media
With support from Mary Ottolini, MD, Chair of Pediatrics at MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, and generous philanthropic funding over the past few years, Drs. Melendi and Zanno bridged the two innovations. They began a tele-simulation program, where their high-tech equipment was left at the rural hospital, allowing rural providers to practice resuscitation skills monthly under the remote supervision of the neonatology team.
In order to overcome the expense of the high-tech equipment, which makes it challenging to provide this for every rural hospital, Dr. Ottolini and Pediatric Critical Care Physician Michael Ferguson, MD, had another innovative idea. With support from the MaineHealth Innovation team and Case Western Reserve University (leaders in augmented reality) in recent years, they developed a much less expensive holographic neonate (Holo-Baby) that simulates the appearance and vital sign changes of a newborn needing a full code resuscitation.
The team is seeking additional funding to test the Holo-Baby in rural hospitals delivery rooms statewide, helping to advance MaineHealth’s population health mission by improving clinical care and scientific knowledge through research and education.
MaineHealth Innovation: Augmented Reality for Neonatal Resuscitation
Learn how MaineHealth Innovation is supporting pediatric hospital medicine and critical care experts, Dr. Mary Ottolini and Dr. Michael Ferguson, as they continue leading a pilot with the software application at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center and throughout the MaineHealth system.
MaineHealth Innovation
Established in 2020, MaineHealth Innovation fosters a culture of innovation across our health care system, supporting 23,000 colleagues who serve 1.1 million patients across Maine and New Hampshire. MaineHealth Innovation programs are designed to provide connections, education and funding for MaineHealth innovators. Learn more about MaineHealth Innovation.