This study investigated the perceptions of health professionals toward tele-ICU technology during the second most crucial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The tele-ICU system provides the health care team with a distant consultation of specialists; hence, swift decision-making is possible for patients who require intensive care. Both doctors and nurses have shown varied feelings of enthusiasm and concern. Most recognized the potential value of tele-ICUs to improve care of acutely ill patients, particularly to ensure the accessibility of specialist opinion when the resources of the hospital were stretched. Nurses were worried about losing direct bedside interaction with their patients, while physicians expressed concerns about the threat to their work-life balance. While these are valid concerns, the study identifies tele-ICUs as a promising innovation in healthcare that could help bridge gaps in critical care delivery during emergencies.
Full text: Magdalena Eitenberger, Gernot Gerger, Sophie Klomfar, Marcus Alexander Gabriel, Maria Kletecka-Pulker, Eva Schaden, Atanas G Atanasov, Mathias Maleczek, Sabine Vรถlkl-Kernstock, Elisabeth Klager, 2024, Focusing on experts: Expectations of healthcare professionals regarding the use of telemedicine in intensive care units, Digital Health, 10, https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076241257042