The TeleNeonatology project – which uses an advanced video link for joint consultations between two hospitals – has been running for two years. During this period, TeleNeo has been used for 88 newborns and their parents, and 11 transfers have been prevented. The teams and parents involved have responded enthusiastically, prompting the investigation into how this digital collaboration can be deployed more broadly. Further expansion is being explored both within various subdepartments of Erasmus MC – Sophia Children’s Hospital and Amphia – and in collaboration with other hospitals.

Results from the past year

Although the number of consultations was slightly lower than during the pilot in 2024, 38 patients were provided with collaborative care (2024: 50). The evaluations show a consistently positive picture: 100% satisfaction, 95% perceived added value, and transfers were avoided for five patients. These figures underscore the continued clinical and organizational value of TeleNeo, as well as the importance of proper registration and evaluation.

TelePICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit) has also been operational since last summer. As expected, the patient frequency is lower than with TeleNeo, but initial experiences are positive: three patients have been consulted so far, and the teams involved are enthusiastic. TeleCardio is scheduled to launch around the beginning of the summer.

Future Vision

Within the other subspecialties of pediatrics, an inventory is currently being made of the need for teleconsultations to support communication and collaboration. Just like with the PICU, a lower patient frequency is expected than in neonatology and cardiology. Therefore, the major challenge now lies ahead: scaling up! All eight regional hospitals are discussing the implementation of this technology. This is a complex challenge with new issues such as sustainable financing of healthcare innovations, to which Healthy Start’s transdisciplinary expertise can make a valuable contribution.

Read more about the project, including published papers, here: Ambitie project | Tele-neonatologie – Convergence