- Machine Learning Could Reduce Lab Testing for ICU Patients
The teleICU program has enabled patients to remain close to family, reduced response times for patient care decisions, and shortened the length of hospital stay.
“The addition of a teleICU has added depth to the critical services provided at the hospital and enabled some patients to be cared for here in Monroe, rather than transporting them 100 miles to Shreveport. Better care, faster care and local care are the great takeaways,” said Richard Cavell, MD, chief medical officer at the Monroe Medical Center.
Physicians in Shreveport review cases with local doctors, nurses, and other clinicians in Monroe and then complete virtual rounds with patients throughout the day.
Oschner LSU Health Monroe uses the same electronic health record system as Shreveport, which enables specialists to remotely monitor a patient's chart and review lab work or medical imaging.
“Our program was designed in collaboration with the established teleICU program at Ochsner Health System and allows intensive care physicians in Shreveport to support medical decisions in Monroe. We can examine the patients, review the bedside devices, visit with the patient and family and have multidisciplinary rounds with the bedside team including physicians, respiratory therapists and pharmacists developing a comprehensive plan for the patient each day,” said Bob Walter, MD, medical director for the critical care service line for Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport.
Appalachian Regional Healthcare Launches TeleICU at 12 Hospitals
Earlier this month, Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) launched teleICU services at 12 of its hospitals in Kentucky and West Virginia, serving more than 350,000 residents. Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center served as the first hospital with a May 7 launch, while the remaining 11 ARH hospitals will follow with launches over a two-month period.
ARH employs more than 5,000 people and has a network of more than 600 medical staff members. ARH is the largest provider of care and single largest employer in southeastern Kentucky and the third largest private employer in southern West Virginia.
"Appalachian Regional Healthcare is firmly committed to its mission of improving the health and promoting the well-being of our local population," said ARH Chief Medical Officer Maria Braman, MD.
"We are excited to collaborate with Advanced ICU Care on this system-wide, 12 hospital tele-ICU implementation, leveraging their team's extensive clinical expertise in order to provide our patients with the gold standard of care."
ARH turned to Advanced ICU Care to provide the teleICU platform, which uses U.S. board-certified clinicians, nine technology-enabled care centers, high-speed connectivity, and advanced software.
"Over 75% of our client hospitals are part of a national or regional health system, making Advanced ICU Care particularly well suited to support Appalachian Regional Healthcare's comprehensive tele-ICU implementation across multiple locations and multiple states," said Advanced ICU Care CEO Lou Silverman.
"We look forward to working closely with their highly skilled, hospital clinical teams and vision-focused leadership to provide an additional model of innovative care delivery for the communities that they serve," he added.
Last month, Baptist Medical Center Nassau added teleICU services for its ICU patients, becoming the first Jacksonville, FL-based Baptist Health hospital to use teleICU technology, reported Becker’s Hospital Review.
Baptist Medical Center Nassau employed the Advanced ICU Care platform, which uses audiovisual communications technology and patient data to enable physicians to monitor patients' medical conditions remotely.
