Geisinger Health System recently signed an agreement with Philips VISICU, to launch an eICU Program® that will enhance physicians' ability to care for Geisinger's sickest patients.
Supported 24/7 by critical care nurses and physicians, the eICU technology analyzes patient data from monitors, life support systems, electronic health records, medical orders and other sources of information, and alerts staff when a patient is trending toward a serious health event. This technology extends the specialists' ability to provide high quality patient care.
The Philips VISICU eICU Program will complement care delivered by Geisinger critical care physicians, according to Geisinger's executive vice president and chief medical officer, Howard R. Grant, M.D. It will utilize voice, video and data to ensure continuous remote monitoring of intensive care patients at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville and Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center near Wilkes-Barre. When the program goes live within six months, Geisinger will be the only health system in the region to implement this technology.
Geisinger will also consider making eICU services available to other hospitals in the region.
"Critical care patients are at the highest risk because of the complexity of their illnesses. The vision of this program is to improve patient safety, as well as the efficiency of care that is delivered," said Dr. Grant. "This initiative ensures that our critically ill patients have access to the safest, evidenced-based patient care available."
Published data from hospitals with eICU Programs document the following clinical benefits:
·29 to 64 percent decrease in mortality
·50 percent decrease in patient length of stay
"Geisinger continues to shine as a leader in its commitment to quality and healthcare reform. The health system is positioned to implement this life-saving program largely as a result of its focus on innovative ways to provide high-quality care," said Frank Sample, Philips VISICU CEO. "We are looking forward to working together in our quest to drive clinical transformation."
Geisinger will also implement the mobile version of this program - eCareMobile. This addition will expand critical care support to post-anesthesia and emergency departments - temporarily transforming any patient bed with network connectivity into a critical care location.
In addition to this latest investment in telemedicine, Geisinger recently partnered with Evangelical Community Hospital in Lewisburg and Lewistown Hospital to expand stroke services in the Central Susquehanna Valley and Lewistown area. With this partnership, the expertise of Geisinger's stroke specialists is available to Evangelical Community and Lewistown hospital patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Critical care specialist Kenneth E. Wood, D.O., has joined Geisinger as Vice Chair, Division of Medicine, Director, eICU®, and Associate, Critical Care Medicine/Pulmonary Medicine. Dr. Wood will oversee Geisinger's new eICU Program.
Prior to joining Geisinger, Dr. Wood was a Professor of Medicine and Anesthesiology and practiced medicine at the University of Wisconsin Hospital, where he served as Director of Critical Care, Director of Respiratory Care, and Director of the Trauma and Life Support Center.
Dr. Wood received his medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Abington Memorial Hospital, Abington, Pa., and a fellowship in Critical Care Medicine from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Camden, Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center in Camden, N.J.
Dr. Wood has received numerous awards including the Critical Care Excellence Award in 2008 and a 2009 Presidential Citation from the Society of Critical Care Medicine. He has published more than 100 articles, abstracts and books including contributions to the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) and the New England Journal of Medicine.
Dr. Wood holds memberships in professional development organizations including the American College of Chest Physicians, The American College of Physicians, the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the European Society of Critical Care Medicine.
He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and Critical Care Medicine.
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