Tele-ICUs are a critically important solution for improving hospital medicine and meeting the growing demand for intensive care services, according to Mary Jo Gorman, M.D., M.B.A., chief executive officer of Advanced ICU Care. Dr. Gorman presented her talk, “Hospitalist Medical Practices: Opportunities and Pitfalls”, at the Update in Hospital Medicine, 2012, Mayo School of Continuous Professional Development on Nov. 7.

During this presentation, Dr. Gorman demonstrated how tele-ICUs are becoming an integral component in helping hospitals overcome the growing shortage of intensivists. With the aging population continuing to drive increased utilization, the demands from payers for improved metrics and other accountable care initiatives, hospitals are challenged to overcome this shortage and to meet their goals for clinical care and operational efficiencies. In order to address this need, many have pressed hospitalists into service in the ICU. The use of telemedicine to support already busy hospitalists can improve the practice and hospital outcomes.

“The recommended standard for ICUs is around the clock coverage by board certified intensivists, and more hospitals are looking to telemedicine in order to leverage this scarce professional resource to meet this standard of care,” said Dr. Gorman. “It’s critical that healthcare professionals and administrators collaborate by leveraging clinicians and technology if they are going to meet the increased demand for these services and achieve the adherence to best practices in clinical care for their patients.”

The founder of Advanced ICU Care, the nation’s largest independent tele-ICU provider, Dr. Gorman has practiced as an intensivist and a hospitalist. She has written numerous abstracts and articles about the growing intensivist shortage and the impact this has on physician recruitment, ICU performance management, and patient mortality. She recently co-authored a peer-reviewed position paper (with Eric Siegal, M.D., SFHM; Daniel D. Dressler, M.D., MSc, SFHM, FACP; Jeffrey R. Dichter, M.D., SFHM, FACP; and Pamela A. Lipsett, M.D., FACS, FCCM) for the Journal of Hospital Medicine titled “Training a Hospitalist Workforce to Address the Intensivist Shortage in American Hospitals: A Position Paper from the Society of Hospital Medicine and the Society of Critical Care Medicine.

The Mayo School of Continuous Professional Development teaches physicians, nurses and other allied health professionals the latest, and most advanced medical and surgical practices. The well-regarded Mayo Clinic has been training medical professionals globally for more than 100 years.

About Advanced ICU Care

Advanced ICU Care offers ICU programs to improve the clinical and financial performance of its hospital partners using a comprehensive approach with a proven track record of success. As the nation’s largest independent tele-ICU provider, Advanced ICU Care has successfully implemented and managed more programs than any other organization. Our tele-ICU programs combine experienced intensivist-led care teams, sophisticated technology and collaborative programs with hospital staff to achieve a rigorous focus on evidence-based best practices that improve patient care and safety. Our team brings insights gained from decades of nationally recognized ICU leadership and expertise in both bedside ICU and tele-ICU environments. For more information, visit www.icumedicine.com.