UK HealthCare announced Monday that it has been testing an intensive care unit telemedicine program for almost a year.
The Enhanced Care through Advanced Technology Intensive Care Unit—or e-CAT ICU, allows nurses to remotely assist ICU staff working in UK hospitals.
The remote team of nurses monitor patients though a television screen with a camera. The nurses can help ICU medical staff by assessing patients and monitoring vital signs.
Jessica Porter is the ICU program coordinator and nursing manager. Porter says the team monitors both COVID-19 and non-COVID patients in intensive care units.
“So basically we are a second set of eyes to help protect the patient, it’s a lot of preventative measures,” Porter said. We can do anything the nurses need us to do.”
The telemedicine monitoring system also keeps track of health data, which helps medical staff make decisions about a patient’s care.
Julia Blackburn, eICU operations director, says this technology could help hospitalized patients throughout the state.
“It was born out of a shortage of intensivists, critical care board certified physicians and critical care nurses,” Blackburn said. “And so one things it allows us to do is expand the number of patients that can be taken care of with a smaller staff.”
UK Healthcare says initial data finds the program has led to shorter ICU stays for some patients.
If you appreciate access to this important content during this global pandemic, please help us continue to provide public service journalism and information to Central and Eastern Kentucky communities. Please make your contribution to WEKU today.
