The effect of telemedicine on neonatal intensive care unit length of stay in very low birthweight infants

OBJECTIVE This study addresses the effect of the installation and use of a telecardiology system on the intensive care length of stay of very low birthweight (VLBW) newborn infants. DESIGN A retrospective comparison of 314 VLBW infants admitted to one of two neonatal intensive care units for a three year period from calendar years 1994 through 1996. A regression model was constructed to predict the intensive care length of stay while controlling for known risk factors. RESULTS Telemedicine's effect is to reduce the intensive care length of stay and it both statistically significant (p < 0.05) and practically significant, reducing the intensive care length of stay by over 17%. The reduction in length of stay is greater at lower birthweights. CONCLUSIONS Under the circumstances present in this study, telemedicine has been an effective intervention to reduce the intensive care length of stay.