Telemedicine in a Dutch intensive care unit: A descriptive study of the first results

IntroductionTele-intensive care (teleIC) can be used to increase the level of care in the intensive care unit (ICU) with the tele-intensivist being at a remote site. In this study we describe the implementation and outcomes, including patient and family satisfaction, of the first Dutch teleIC.MethodsIn a retrospective analysis the patient characteristics are described with a focus on patient outcomes and patient and family satisfaction. The teleIC started on 6 December 2010 in an ICU with three beds. Data for all admitted patients were collected from 1 January 2011 through 31 December 2013 from available systems. Severity of disease (APACHE IV) and standardized mortality ratios (SMR) were available over the complete calendar years 2012 and 2013. A prospective self-made survey of patient and family satisfaction was performed over a 14-month period after the implementation of teleIC.ResultsIn 2012 and 2013, 556 patients were admitted. The number of operating room recovery patients in the ICU declined over t...