Tele-ICU: efficacy and cost-effectiveness of remotely managing critical care

Tele-ICU is the use of an off-site command center in which a critical care team (intensivists and critical care nurses) is connected with patients in distant ICUs to exchange health information through real-time audio, visual, and electronic means. The aim of this study is to review the available literature related to the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of tele-ICU applications and to study the possible barriers to broader adoption. While the available studies draw conclusions on cost based on mortality and length of stay, actual costs were not reported. Another problem with the studies is the lack of consistent measurement, reporting, and adjustment for patient severity. From the data available, tele-ICU seems to be a promising path, especially in the United States, where there is a limited number of board-certified intensivists.