SENECA, Pa. — UPMC Northwest has enhanced newborn safety with innovative technology that captures high-resolution digital scans of newborn footprints, which can be optimal for identifying an infant or young child in the event of natural disaster, or when a child is lost or abducted. UPMC Northwest is the first hospital in the region to adopt the new technology.
Shortly following birth, a digital scan of the infant’s footprint is entered into his or her electronic medical record, encrypted and stored in a secure database of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The database contains no information that identifies newborns other than birth data and a record number that can only be accessed by authorized parties if a child ever goes missing.
“The best feature of this new system is the peace of mind it gives our patients,” said Cheri Siverling, M.S.N., director, UPMC Northwest Family Birthing Center. “While we hope our parents never have to search for a missing child, there is great comfort in knowing that their child’s footprint can lead to the highest chance of reuniting with them.”