Telehealth Technology:
"A Lifesaver" for Patients
Wellington Regional, in partnership with NuView Health, has implemented a new service in its ICU that uses Telehealth technology. This new technology extends access to the expertise of intensivists, specialists who care for critically ill patients, throughout the overnight hours. Patients in the ICU now have access to these specialists 24/7.
With NuView telehealth's technology, intensivists examine patients using high-definition audio/video monitors. This enables them to assess, diagnose and treat patients without physically being present in the unit. It is a significant benefit to have a critical care specialist available around the clock should a patient's condition become unstable.
According to William Ludwig, MD, President of the Intensive Care Consortium and NuView Health, "NuView Health's intensivist-supervised ICUs have proven to lower complication and mortality rates -- and the nursing staff can have the confidence of knowing they have physician backup at all hours of the night.
"We follow national protocols and continually assess patients' conditions, and respond quickly when conditions change or deteriorate. Our goal is to make sure that each patient receives the highest level of care when in the ICU," he continues.
Because the telehealth system has been so successful in the ICU, it was also recently implemented in the Emergency Department. This type of technology is not new to the ED, however -- in 2007, Wellington Regional debuted teleneurology services in the Department, providing a neurologist to the patient's bedside 24/7 when symptoms of a stroke are present.
"Telehealth technology is proving to be a lifesaver for many patients, and we are pleased to provide this level of expertise in our ICU as well as in our Emergency Department," says Kevin DiLallo, Chief Executive Officer.
