SCCM Resource Library-The Unique Value of Tele-ICU in Unburdening Bedside Staff

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The expansion of tele-intensive care unit (tele-ICU) services has significantly advanced since the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing the urgent need for quick access to information and healthcare services. This model provides flexible access to specialist care and can alleviate some issues arising from the insufficient number of ICU beds and ongoing staff shortages exacerbated by the pandemic. Many healthcare professionals experience burnout, causing them to leave the field or opt for nontraditional work, adding strain to the system.<br /><br />Tele-critical care (TCC) services offer a promising solution by reallocating certain healthcare tasks to remote clinicians with the necessary IT infrastructure. This approach enables quick deployment and flexibility in meeting patient needs, allowing bedside staff to concentrate on the most critical needs. Multiprofessional TCC teams provide support for onsite clinicians, optimizing care delivery through shared expertise.<br /><br />At institutions like the University of Pennsylvania and Emory University, the integration of tele-critical care services improved clinical workflows and relieved frontline staff. For example, by outsourcing some respiratory therapy tasks to tele-critical care teams, they achieved better compliance with key care processes and intervention in critical situations. This model reduced the documentation burden on bedside clinicians, enabling them to focus more on direct patient care.<br /><br />Despite the advantages, tele-ICU expansion has also led to increased stress on remote clinicians due to higher patient volumes and a sense of powerlessness in critical situations. To mitigate this, programs allowing remote work from home have been established to decrease stress and improve work-life balance.<br /><br />Overall, implementing TCC can aid in resolving long-term staffing challenges by enhancing care quality and providing vital support to bedside professionals, thus making it a valuable strategic tool for the future of critical care.

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Professional Development and Education, 2022, 0:05:57

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This article was first published in the Spring 2022 issue of Critical Connections.

Tele-ICU has expanded considerably since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic when the need for quick access to the most up-to-date information became imperative. Two benefits of the remote delivery of healthcare services are the ability to grow and flexible access to advanced knowledge and care.

Critical Connections, the critical care industry's only magazine, provides information in cutting-edge topics in critical care useful to the entire multiprofessional team.

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Meta Tag

Content Type Article

Knowledge Area Professional Development and Education

Knowledge Level Foundational

Knowledge Level Intermediate

Knowledge Level Advanced

Membership Level Associate

Membership Level Professional

Membership Level Select

Tag Innovation

Tag Telemedicine eICU

Year 2022

Keywords

tele-ICU

COVID-19 pandemic

healthcare services

staff shortages

tele-critical care

remote clinicians

patient care

clinical workflows

work-life balance

critical care

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