The Open Medical Informatics Journal

2013, 7 : 24-29
Published online 2013 August 23 . DOI: 10.2174/1874431101307010024
Publisher ID: TOMINFOJ-7-24

RESEARCH ARTICLE
 Tele-ICU: Efficacy and Cost-Effectiveness Approach of Remotely Managing the Critical Care

Sajeesh Kumar, * , Shezana Merchant and Rebecca Reynolds
Department of Health Informatics & Information Management, University of Tennessee Health Science Center,920 Madison Avenue Suite 518, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, USA

* Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Health Informatics & Information Management, University of Tennessee Health Science Center,920 Madison Avenue Suite 518, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, USA; Tel: 901-448-2125; Fax: 901-448-1629; E-mail: skumar10@uthsc.edu

ABSTRACT

Tele-ICU has an off-site command center in which a critical care team (intensivists and critical care nurses) is connected with patients in distance intensive care units (ICUs) through a real-time audio, visual and electronic means and health information is exchanged. The aim of this paper is to review literature to explore the available studies related to efficacy and cost effectiveness of Tele-ICU applications and to study the possible barriers to broader adoption. While studies draw conclusions on cost based on the mortality and Length of Stay (LOS), actual cost was not reported. Another problem in the studies was the lack of consistent measurement, reporting and adjustment for patient severity. From the data available, Tele-ICU seems to be a promising path, especially in the United States where there is a limited number of board-certified intensivists.

Keywords: :

Cost-effectiveness, critical care, Telehealth.