[The clinical application of remote critical care network].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss and evaluate whether a remote critical care program network can improve clinical and economic performance across multiple intensive care units (ICUs).

METHODS: The consultative center composed of intensivists and physician extenders to provide remote consultations for the critical patients. Supporting software, including electronic data display and communication interface were available both in the ICU center and at the remote sites. Clinical and economic performance after 1 year application of the program was compared with the performance before the intervention.

RESULTS: During January 2008 to July 2009, there had been 63 hospitals in Zhejiang Province joined the network. A total of 1 617 patients had received remote critical care consultations. One hundred and seventy-three remote teaching ward rounds and 72 lectures had been conducted on the network during this period. The before-and after-data comparison for 23 hospitals which had joined the network for longer than 1 year showed that, the program had decreased ICUs raw mortality by 11.6% (12.9% vs. 14.6%), and reduced transfer rate by 38.3% (2.9% vs. 4.7%), and ICUs bed occupancy rate increased by 6.1% (83.4% vs. 78.6%).

CONCLUSION: The application of a remote critical care program was associated with improved clinical outcomes of critically ill patients and hospital financial performance.