An internet-based intervention program for supporting families with prematurely born infants

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to describe the deve-lopment, planning and implementing of an internet-based intervention program for providing support to families with prematurely born infants. During the families initial stay at home with their infant; families were given access to use of videoconference system from their home to have contact with staff at the neonatal unit, via direct link, throughout twenty-four hours. This program successfully ended, and video-conferencing is incorporated as a tool to support families after coming home. Probably, a variety of factors has contributed to make this program suc-cessful, as for example user friendliness and the close collaboration between researchers and staff at the neonatal unit. In conclusion, Information and Com-munication Technology (ICT) must be taken into consideration in developing upcoming care, thereby making possible a program to extend accessibility to health care.