Talk to the Veterans Crisis Line now
U.S. flag
An official website of the United States government
Veterans Benefits and Health Care About VA Find a VA Location

VA Health Systems Research

Go to the VA ORD website
Go to the QUERI website

HSR Citation Abstract

Search | Search by Center | Search by Source | Keywords in Title

Technology to Improve Access: How Telemedicine Links Intensivists to Intensive Care Units in the Veterans Health Administration

Reisinger HS, Moeckli J, Cunningham CL, Cram PM. Technology to Improve Access: How Telemedicine Links Intensivists to Intensive Care Units in the Veterans Health Administration. Paper presented at: Society for Applied Anthropology Annual Meeting; 2013 Mar 20; Denver, CO.



Abstract:

A shortage of intensivists exists in the United States healthcare system. VHA is one of several healthcare systems turning to Telemedicine ICUs (Tele-ICUs) to provide bedside ICUs with access to intensivists via communication technologies. This paper reports on an 18-month ethnographic study of the implementation of a Tele-ICU in the VA Midwest Healthcare Network. Generally, Tele-ICU acceptance was greater in rural ICUs, while highly varied at academically-affiliated ICUs. This paper explores how to improve Tele-ICU acceptance and care quality by accounting for differing organizational contexts and perceptions of need for access to off-site intensivists at the two types of ICUs.




Questions about the HSR website? Email the Web Team

Any health information on this website is strictly for informational purposes and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any condition.