Adventist Health Tillamook Launches $75,000 Fundraiser for NICU Telemedicine Robot
November 16, 2023 (Tillamook, Ore.) – Adventist Health Tillamook is launching a $75,000 end-of-year fundraiser to purchase a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) telemedicine robot for providing urgent care and observation for newborn patients. The robotic assistant technology enables neonatologist providers from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Doernbecher Children’s Hospital to support care and observation on-demand. Tested and in practice across rural hospitals in the United States for many years, this new capability will allow Adventist Health Tillamook to provide this care through an existing partnership with OHSU, at no additional cost to Adventist Health Tillamook.
“Telemedicine NICU has been a game-changer for our care team and community,” said Marian Johnson, RN, and Family Birth Place (Obstetrics) department manager at Adventist Health Tillamook. “With your help, we can keep babies in the best possible condition until a pediatric transport team arrives to take them to a higher level of care.” After success using a robot at Adventist Health Tillamook for emergency stroke care, it was determined that a second dedicated Family Birth Place robot is necessary for not only effective care, but also eliminating a situation where one robot couldn’t care for a stroke patient and a newborn patient simultaneously.
The technology behind a NICU robot is a high-definition camera connected with a powerful computer on a cart for bedside care, offering capabilities far beyond consumer products like an Apple or Samsung tablet alone, for example. “We are so grateful for the support of our community,” said Eric Swanson, President of Adventist Health Tillamook. “Your donations will help us purchase this technology and provide additional OB department updates, as well as ensuring that every baby in our community has access to the best possible care.” To make a donation to the Adventist Health Tillamook NICU telemedicine robot fundraiser, please visit ahlink.org/ahtmnicu. Every gift, no matter how small, makes a big difference to our community.
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Since 1973, Adventist Health Tillamook is a faith-based, nonprofit healthcare organization that includes: a 25-bed critical access medical center located in Tillamook, Oregon; the largest hospital-based ambulance service in Oregon with four stations located throughout Tillamook County; and rural health clinics and urgent care medical offices serving the northern Oregon coast as well as the communities of Sheridan, Vernonia, Estacada and Welches. Adventist Health Tillamook employs over 550 associates and healthcare providers and is part of Adventist Health, a faith-based, nonprofit integrated health system serving more than 80 communities in California, Hawaii and Oregon.
