North Shore University Hospital introduces LI's first digital footprint system for newborns

NEW YORK - North Shore University Hospital has introduced a new digital footprint system for newborn children that replaces the traditional ink and paper.

“When we would use the ink pad footprints, it was just a static image that faded, got crumpled, got lost. This is a high-resolution digital footprint of the baby coupled to the mother’s fingerprints,” said Sue Robertson, VP and Chief Nursing Information Officer for Northwell Health. 

The hospital has already used the technology, the first of its kind on Long Island, on more than 100 newborns. Each of the baby’s feet are scanned and automatically registered into a computer system that is linked to the Department of Homeland Security and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The images are uploaded and stored to a secure web portal that only the baby’s parents can access. However, those who have privacy concerns can choose to opt-out and get the prints on paper.

According to the website of CertaScan Technologies, which created the scanners, there is no upfront cost to install the system and the company only charges a fee per newborn foot scan.