From TIME · Alana Semuels · · 1m 40s
TeleICU Safety Crisis
Hospitals using remote doctors for ICU care face deadly delays as patients die without bedside support.
In brief
Hospitals using remote doctors for ICU care face deadly delays as patients die without bedside support. Three U.S. hospitals failed to provide critical care after teleICU systems caused fatal delays in emergency response. Originally reported by TIME.
Nurse's emergency
Joyce Selph, a 30-year nurse, gave medication without doctor's orders after teleICU calls went unanswered.
“They did it as a cost-saving measure because they were having trouble getting hospitalists to want to be there”
Conor Hylton's death
26-year-old Conor Hylton died after being transferred to teleICU at Bridgeport Hospital in Connecticut.
“I started thinking about the guy in the screen, and thinking, 'What the hell was that?'”
CMS investigation
CMS found Bridgeport Hospital failed to ensure quality care after Conor Hylton's death.
“the hospital failed to ensure quality medical care was provided to a patient who presented to the Emergency Department”
TeleICU deaths
Three hospitals had patient deaths after teleICU systems caused critical care delays.
“the patient died while waiting to be transferred”
TeleICU model
Hospitals use teleICU to have remote doctors monitor multiple ICUs overnight.
“the hospital used a vendor to run the program”
Cost-saving issue
Hospitals cut costs by using teleICU instead of bedside doctors for critical care.
“it was a cost-saving measure because they were having trouble getting hospitalists to want to be there”
Patient safety risk
Patients face delays in emergency care when teleICU doctors don't know hospital layout.
“the ER physician who had been called up to intubate him did not know the way to the ICU”
CMS reports
CMS found three hospitals had patient deaths after teleICU systems caused critical care delays.
“the hospital failed to ensure quality medical care was provided to a patient”
Hospital policy
Hospitals don't inform patients when teleICU is used for critical care.
“the hospital violated its own policy by not informing Conor’s parents that he had been transferred”
TeleICU failures
TeleICU systems cause delays when doctors don't know hospital layout or processes.
“the only doctor who could intubate him, the emergency room doctor, did not arrive until 4:45 a.m.”
Patient transfer
Patients die while waiting for transfer to hospitals with bedside doctors.
“the patient died while waiting to be transferred”
Family concerns
Families demand transparency about teleICU use in hospitals.
“There was no doctor in person providing critical care”
Hospital response
Hospitals claim teleICU improves care but fail to address safety concerns.
“the hospital failed to ensure quality medical care was provided to a patient”
Nurse's warning
Nurses warn teleICU delays can be deadly in critical care settings.
“if there’s a time delay in getting care, for an ICU setting, that’s deadly”
Systemic issue
TeleICU systems lack clear communication protocols between doctors and hospitals.
“there was no process for the in-person emergency room doctor to sign out to the teleICU doctor”
Patient safety
Patients need bedside doctors for immediate critical care.
“You can’t insert a breathing tube through a television”
The short version
Three U.S. hospitals failed to provide critical care after teleICU systems caused fatal delays in emergency response.
