Telemedicine consults to assess neonatal encephalopathy are feasible in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Executive summary: Neonatal encephalopathy and neurologic outcome, second edition. Report of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ Task Force on Neonatal Encephalopathy. Obstet Gynecol. 2014;123:896–901. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.AOG.0000445580.65983.d2. Lally PJ, Montaldo P, Oliveira V, Swamy RS, Soe A, Shankaran S, et al. Residual brain injury after early discontinuation of cooling therapy in mild neonatal encephalopathy. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2018;103:F383–F7. Article Google Scholar Natarajan G, Laptook A, Shankaran S. Therapeutic hypothermia: how can we optimize this therapy to further improve outcomes? Clin Perinatol. 2018;45:241–55. Article Google Scholar Wenger TL, Gerdes J, Taub K, Swarr DT, Deardorff MA, Abend NS. Telemedicine for genetic and neurologic evaluation in the neonatal intensive care unit. J Perinatol. 2014;34:234–40. CAS Article Google Scholar Lally PJ, Montaldo P, Oliveira V, Soe A, Swamy R, Bassett P, et al. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy assessment of brain injury after moderate hypothermia in neonatal encephalopathy: a prospective multicentre cohort study. Lancet Neurol. 2019;18:35–45. Article Google Scholar Armfield NR, Donovan T, Bensink ME, Smith AC. The costs and potential savings of telemedicine for acute care neonatal consultation: preliminary findings. J Telemed Telecare. 2012;18:429–33. Article Google Scholar Craig AK, James C, Bainter J, Evans S, Gerwin R. Parental perceptions of neonatal therapeutic hypothermia; emotional and healing experiences. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2020;33:2889–96. Article Google Scholar Download references We would like to thank our colleagues from the MaineHealth Telestroke Program for making this project possible through the generous loan of the telemedicine equipment. This research was not supported by any funding. The telemedicine equipment was loaned by the MaineHealth Telestroke Program. Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Portland, ME, USA Alexa K. Craig Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA Lauren M. McAllister Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Portland, ME, USA Scott Evans & Misty E. Melendi You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar AKC conceptualized the study design, designed the study collection instruments, and supervised the data collection. She was involved in data analysis and reviewed and revised all portions of the manuscript. LMM analyzed the data and drafted the first version of the manuscript and reviewed and revised all portions of the manuscript. SE provided the expertise and training in use of the telemedicine system and reviewed and revised all portions of the manuscript. MEM contributed to the data analysis and reviewed and revised the manuscript. All authors approved the final manuscript as submitted and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work. Correspondence to Alexa K. Craig. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Reprints and Permissions Craig, A.K., McAllister, L.M., Evans, S. et al. Telemedicine consults to assess neonatal encephalopathy are feasible in the neonatal intensive care unit. J Perinatol (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-020-00828-3 Download citation Received: 18 June 2020 Revised: 14 August 2020 Accepted: 10 September 2020 Published: 21 September 2020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-020-00828-3