Telemedicine in Intensive Care
Telemedicine is the exchange of medical information between sites by electronic means in order to improve a patients’ health status. Telemedicine in ICU may occur through FCICM support to:
- An ICU with no FCICM present
- Remote centres for patients awaiting retrieval to an ICU
- Out-of-hours when 24/7 specialist cover is not available
Principles of Telemedicine
- All normal standards of professional conduct apply
- Documentation
- Health professionals should actively confirm both their and the patients identity
- All patients involved should be informed about the process, and its risks and benefits
- The therapeutic relationship must be improved by the use of telemedicine
- Should improve, not fragment, medical care
- CICM standards for ICU apply to the provision of telemedicine
- Telemedicine must apply with jurisdictional standards in the location where the patient is
Standards
Governance
- Formal agreement between sites should exist, detailing:
- Responsibilities of each site
- Referral pathway
- Dispute resolution
- Technical difficulties
- Documentation
- Clinical governance policy should be agreed
- Adequate training of staff
Equipment
- Quality cameras adequate to examine the patient and equipment
- Adequate internet bandwidth
- Access to pathology and radiology
- Secure system