WILMINGTON, DE - This week, Nemours Children’s Health System is utilizing their telemedicine service, CareConnect, to allow hospitalized children to have a face-to-face conversation with Santa who will be speaking to them from the “North Pole.” The children will be able to share their Christmas wishes and interact with Santa’s elves who will be helping manage the videoconference in person.
“Being hospitalized at this time of year can leave kids feeling left out of the holiday season. Santa’s virtual visits from the North Pole offer these kids a fun and special experience,” said Carey Officer, Operational Vice President of Nemours CareConnect and Center for Health Delivery Innovation. “With Nemours telehealth capabilities, including our direct-to-consumer platform, CareConnect, we aim to connect patients with board-certified specialists, around the clock, to ensure the best possible care.”
Children being treated at Nemours’ two freestanding hospitals in Wilmington, Delaware and Orlando, Florida will experience virtual visits with Santa this week enabled by their robust telemedicine system. The Elves helping to facilitate the connection, as well as the blanket gift provided to each child that participates, are being generously provided by Nemours’ IS infrastructure partner, Dimension Data.
“I wasn’t expecting this visit at all. It’s nice to get a little surprise for the children. When we come to the hospital, he can be a little down, but to get lifted up a little bit from a simple virtual call from Santa, is just awesome.” Rebecca Merrifield, mother of Nemours Children’s Hospital patient.
Nemours has implemented telemedicine throughout its health system with direct-to-consumer care for acute, chronic, and post-surgical appointments, as well as through its partner hospitals, schools, and even cruise ships. Powered by Vidyo, Nemours CareConnect is a 24/7 on-demand pediatric telehealth program which provides families access to Nemours pediatricians through a smartphone, tablet, or computer—whether they are at home, school, or even on the sports field. If necessary, the physician may order a prescription, using geo-location service on the smartphone or tablet, and send it to the nearest pharmacy.
Additionally, Nemours CareConnect is used to bring pediatric specialists into affiliated community hospitals. Providers at these hospitals may use the telehealth tool to have a Nemours specialist remotely assess a patient. When specialists can see patients via the secure video connection, they are better able to determine the safest, most-effective care.
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About Nemours Children’s Health System
Nemours is an internationally recognized children's health system that owns and operates the two free-standing hospitals: the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del., and Nemours Children's Hospital in Orlando, Fla., along with outpatient facilities in five states, delivering pediatric primary, specialty and urgent care. Nemours also powers the world’s most-visited website for information on the health of children and teens, KidsHealth.org, and offers on-demand, online video patient visits through Nemours CareConnect. Nemours ReadingBrightstart.org is a program dedicated to preventing reading failure in young children, grounded in Nemours’ understanding that child health and learning are inextricably linked, and that reading level is a strong predictor of adult health.
Established as The Nemours Foundation through the legacy and philanthropy of Alfred I. duPont, Nemours provides pediatric clinical care, research, education, advocacy and prevention programs to families in the communities it serves.
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