Evolution of the Intensive Care Unit Telemedicine Value Proposition

Advances in clinical information sciences, telecommunication technologies, electronic health records, early warning systems, automated acuity assessment, and clinician communication support systems have allowed current-generation intensive care (ICU) telemedicine systems to address the inefficiencies of the failed advice-upon-request ICU telemedicine model. Value is related to the ability of health care systems to leverage ICU telemedicine resources to provide care. Local financial benefits of ICU telemedicine program implementation depend on changing behavior to better focus on activities that reduce the duration of critical illness and length of stay.