The deregionalization of neonatal intensive care in the United States has shifted the site of care for many newborn infants away from academic medical centers where subspecialty support is available.

Objective: To investigate the effect of immediate echocardiogram interpretation via telemedicine on rates of neonatal transfer to academic medical centers.

Methods: A logit model was developed to predict the probability of transfer from two regional level 3 neonatal intensive care units to academic medical centers. One of these units implemented a telecardiology program and the other acted as a comparison institution with on-site cardiology expertise. The telecardiology intervention began 18 months into the 36-month study period.

Subjects: Infants (n = 2,142) admitted to neonatal intensive care at either of the two institutions during calendar years 1994 through 1996.

Results: A statistically significant reduction in the rate of transfer to academic medical centers was observed. Telecardiology was associated with a 58% reduction of such transfers (p = .001, 95% CI = 30%, 75%). No such reduction was noted at the comparison institution. It is estimated that approximately 30 transfers were eliminated during the study period, resulting in the elimination of approximately $150,000 in hospital charges. In addition, the infants that were transferred after the adoption of telemedicine were more often transferred to their telemedicine partner institution (p < .02).