Virtual visits with newborns at St. Luke's

Reuniting families while hospital visit bans are in place

Local hospitals remain vigilant in protecting patients from making those numbers go higher. As you know, some strict new visitor restrictions are in place, including a ban on kids.

One hospital in Maumee is taking advantage of some technology to keep families connected. St. Luke's has set up a way for patients with newborn babies to see their littlest loved ones stuck at home.

Julie and Dan of Perrysburg introduced their new baby boy to their three-year-old daughter for the first time, using a web cam.

The manager of obstetrics at St. Luke's, Sonya Rojas, says this set-up just went online today. The idea came from a nurse who wanted to help new siblings begin to bond despite the hospital's ban on kids.

Rojas told us, "We wanted to do what we could to have something that would work almost as good. Nothing will take the place of them altogether, but hopefully this will help."

Here's how it works. Both mom at the hospital and the family at home log onto the same secure website using the same ID's and passwords.

It's one-way video communication. The family at home can see mom and baby through the web cam at the hospital. Both sides need to use the phone to talk.

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