#5946
REMOTE ICU CARE IS BENEFICIAL FOR PATIENTS
(Monday, October 22, 1:30 PM EST)
The shortage of intensivist around the country makes it difficult for intensive care unit (ICU) patients to receive the ‘gold standard’ of care. However, researchers from Saint Luke’s Health System in Missouri found that the implementation the eICU® tele-intensivist program in their hospitals provided multiple positive outcomes. To assess the program, researchers evaluated the changes in ICU outcomes over a period of 5 quarters. At the end of the study period, the ICU program correlated with a decrease in mortality and ICU and hospital length of stays. Researchers also reported an improvement in operation performance.
#5260
TELE-INTENSIVISTS SAVE RURAL HOSPITALS MONEY
(Monday, October 22, 1:30 PM EST)
A new study suggests that one of the best ways for rural health systems to save money is by decreasing a patients’ hospital length of stay (LOS) by use of a tele-intensivist program. Researchers from Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center and Avera Health Plans, in South Dakota, gathered and compared LOS data from three regional hospitals, 1 year before and 2 years after the implementation of the tele-intensivist program. They found substantial LOS reductions in both the number of ICU days and hospital days across the system. Researchers suggest the LOS reduction demonstrates a financial benefit.
#5096
IMPACT OF OBESITY ON ICU MORTALITY
(Monday, October 22, 3:30 PM EST)
A new study of more than 15,000 obese patients, evaluated the impact of obesity on intensive care unit (ICU) mortality, ICU length of stay (LOS), and length of mechanical ventilation. After analyzing data, researchers from the University of Buffalo found that obesity in critically ill patients was not associated with excessive mortality, but was significantly related to an increased duration of ventilation and ICU LOS.
#4744
TIME DISTORTION DURING CPR
(Monday, October 22, 3:30 PM EST)
A new study reveals that during CPR, internal medicine residents often believe more time has passed, than what actually has. Researchers from Beth Israel Medical Center in New York tested time distortion on residents during scenarios using patient simulators. After completion of each scenario, all participants were asked how much time they believed had elapsed. Researchers found on average, residents believed more time had elapsed than what actually had. They also found that men were more likely to overestimate and women were more likely to underestimate the scenario time.
#4823
‘CLOSED’ v. ‘OPEN’ ICUs
(Wednesday, October 24, 1:30 PM EST)
Research from Cedars Sinai Medical Center supports the concept of a ‘closed’ intensive care unit (ICU), one that is run by an intensivist, rather than an ‘open’ ICU, one in which primary physicians make decisions regarding their patients’ treatment in the ICU. The study reviewed and compared the length of stay (LOS) of more than 400 patients admitted to ‘closed’ units and more than 500 patients admitted to ‘open’ units. Researchers found that those patients admitted to ‘closed’ units had shorter LOS and that the ‘closed’ units were less expensive to operate.
#6067
DISTRESS AMONG ICU RELATIVES
(Wednesday, October 24, 1:30 PM EST)
Anxiety and depression are common among relatives of intensive care unit (ICU) patients, according to a new study. Researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and Ben Taub General Hospital administered questionnaires to relatives of ICU patients who had been admitted for more than 2 days. More than one-third of respondents were found to have symptoms of anxiety and at least mild depression. Researchers suggest family members’ reactions may be dependent on factors such as prior ICU experiences and individual coping skills.
#5904
AGE NOT A FACTOR IN ICU DEATHS
(Wednesday, October 24, 1:30 PM EST)
Elderly patients who enter the intensive care unit (ICU) are no more likely to die as a result of their age, reports a new study. Researchers from Providence Hospital in Washington DC, compared ICU patients aged 65+ years with patients who were less than 65-years-old. They found that there were no significant differences in mortality rates, hospital or ICU length of stay, or number of ventilator days. ICU complications also did not differ between the two groups.
#5785
PHONE TRIAGE FOR VENTILATOR DEPENDENT CHILDREN
(Wednesday, October 24, 1:30 PM EST)
New research finds that a phone triage program for the caregivers of children who require invasive mechanical ventilation, provides a safe and cost effective alternative to a trip to the doctor. The program allowed caregivers to call a nurse or pediatric nurse practitioner for issues related to pulmonary exacerbations in the pediatric patients. After reviewing records, researchers from the University of Michigan found the program yielded significant savings, and provided safe and effective care for patients.