Measuring tele-ICU impact: does it optimize quality outcomes for the critically ill patient?

AIMS: To determine the relationship between tele-ICU (intensive care unit) implementations and improvement in quality measures and patient outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Tele-ICUs were designed to leverage scarce critical-care experts and promised to improve patient quality.

EVALUATION: Abstracts and peer-reviewed articles were reviewed to identify the associations between tele-ICU programmes and clinical outcomes, cost savings, and customer satisfaction.

KEY ISSUES: Few peer-reviewed studies are available and many variables in each study limit the ability to associate study conclusions to the overall tele-ICU programme. Further research is required to explore the impact of the tele-ICU on patient/family satisfaction. Research findings are highly dependent upon the level of ICU acceptance.

CONCLUSIONS: The tele-ICU, in collaboration with the ICU team, can be a valuable tool for the enhancement of quality goals although the ability to demonstrate cost savings is extremely complex. Studies clearly indicate that tele-ICU nursing vigilance can enhance patient safety by preventing potential patient harm.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nursing managers and leaders play a vital part in optimizing the quality role of the tele-ICU through supportive modelling and the maximization of ICU integration.