Electronic tags to assure safety of newborns

Mothers can breathe easy that their newborn babies will not be stolen, lost or misplaced, thanks to a new infant tagging system introduced in Abu Dhabi. The infant tagging system, known as "Hugs and Kisses" is now available at the Corniche Hospital, which is part of the SEHA Health system and managed by Johns Hopkins Medicine International in Baltimore, USA. The "Hugs and Kisses" infant-tagging system ensures the safety of newborn babies through a bracelet that is slipped onto an infant's ankle as soon as he or she is born, while a corresponding tag is placed on the mother's wrist. The embedded technology assures that newborns are not moved from designated areas without prior authorisation. In addition, each time a baby is brought to the mother, the match is confirmed by an electronic signal. Mismatched tags trigger an alarm to alert staff members. A rumour over a two-day-old baby being abducted circulated in Corniche Hospital last April. A Code Amber was immediately issued, and doors/exits were locked for a good 45 minutes. When Gulf News asked whether the hospital decided to introduce the new system after the hoax, George Yacoub, chief executive officer who led the project alongside Sultan Al Mansouri, project leader and IT manager, replied: "No. The planning and purchasing of this system was initiated in the summer of 2010. There has never been a baby abduction at Corniche Hospital. Patient safety is our top priority, and this system allows us to utilise reliable technologies to ensure the safety of our patients and their newborns". Beginning May 1, all babies born after 8am at Corniche Hospital received a "Hugs" security tag and their mothers got a "Kisses" tag at the time of delivery. "The tagging system is used in some of the best maternity hospitals in the United States and Europe. We are proud to be the first medical centre to bring it to mothers and babies of Abu Dhabi. Our hospital is dedicated to providing exceptional healthcare services. The new tagging system is in line with international best practice, and is yet another step in our commitment to patient-centred care," said Ronald Lavater, Chief Executive Officer of Corniche Hospital. From / Gulf News