News center | Australia

May 10, 2018

Emory Healthcare, Philips and Royal Perth Hospital partner to launch remote intensive care monitoring program in Perth

  • The three-party collaboration represents the future of globalised connected critical care, paving the way for the adoption of similar models across Australia as well as internationally.
  • The program will use cutting-edge technologies allowing clinicians to monitor multiple critically ill patients remotely, alert ICU staff to any issues, and ensure early intervention to improve outcomes.

Perth, Australia – Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) and US-based Emory Healthcare have today announced the launch of a new remote Intensive Care Unit (eICU) monitoring program, based at the Royal Perth Hospital in Western Australia, focused on improving the outcomes of high risk patients and advancing the globalisation of critical care.

 

Based on the successes of the pilot program that Emory Healthcare ran out of Sydney in 2016, this partnership is a next the next phase for Emory Healthcare. Their critical care physician (intensivists) and critical care nurse experts will provide medical care to patients in the US from their base at Royal Perth Hospital using Philips’ remote intensive care unit monitoring technology. This virtual care model enables the Perth-based US clinicians to provide remote night-time critical care support to patients in Atlanta, Georgia during daytime hours in Perth. This model helps to reduce the burden of traditional night shift work.

This partnership is enabling a crucial shift in the delivery of care and impacting clinical outcomes, seeing technology support clinicians to deliver more proactive and timely care to patients across the world,

Caroline Clarke

CEO ASEAN Pacific, Philips

“We know that access to highly experienced intensivists and critical care nurses is an ongoing challenge for hospitals, both here in Australia and internationally. Virtual care solutions, such as the eICU program, can help to deliver much needed expertise to areas where this is lacking. At Philips, we are proud to play our part in creating connected health solutions that break down barriers within healthcare, have a human impact on providers and patients, and make a difference now and beyond.”

Alt-text image

WA Health Minister The Hon. Roger Cook in direct conversation with Atlanta-based Emory’s Mercy Clinic critical care nurse Katie Casey via the integrated virtual care workstation.  

The eICU program allows for near real-time remote monitoring and early intervention via advanced audio-visual technology and algorithms that can predict deteriorations in health, giving clinicians the ability to communicate with local caregivers via live video link, continuously monitor patient health, and advise on the best course of treatment from wherever they are located.

The eICU represents the future of globalised critical care, transforming the delivery of care from the bedside in partnership with the Informatics Center to any site where the advanced technology can be implemented, extending beyond the barriers of location and time,

Tim Buchman

Director of the Critical Care Center, Emory Healthcare

“Overnight is when adverse events are most likely to occur for ICU patients, and we need to make sure we have people who are knowledgeable and restful to provide the best care. The eICU program allows clinicians to support the Atlanta-based bedside team by recognising adverse physiology, making critical diagnosis, and intervening as a patient begins to veer off trajectory. We are turning night into day to make the lives of our caregivers as positive as possible while we are improving care quality and patient outcomes.”

 

“The partnership of eRNs and eMDs in the Emory eICU is a primary component of the success of the program,” said Cheryl Hiddleson, Director Emory eICU Center.

“That is why Emory decided to send one physician and one nurse to Perth, so that collaborative effort is maintained. The goal of the program and its clinicians to ensure quality patient care is also preserved by continuing this model.”

 

As part of our commitment to continually improve patient and carers' experiences within the health care system, we are excited to welcome Dr. Buchman and his Emory Healthcare critical care team located on site, said Liz MacLeod, Chief Executive, East Metropolitan Health Service (EMHS).

 

“We both share the same goals and objectives, which are to provide the best patient care possible. Hosting this program at RPH allows us to see first hand how remote ICU monitoring could possibly change the face of acute medicine in the future, by bringing together geographically dispersed teams in different parts of the world.”

 

The Philips eICU program has delivered proven success for Emory Healthcare since its implementation four years ago. The program demonstrated that remote ICU monitoring can help to save lives, increases provider satisfaction and drives cost savings through length of stay reduction and inpatient readmission decrease*. The solution is part of a connected, patient-centred care and analytics suite that supports advanced care delivery models both in the hospital and to the home.

 

* Emory achieved over 15 months across its 136 beds at five hospital sites the following:

  •  Discharged more patients to home healthcare (+4.9%) rather than nursing homes or long-term care hospitals (-6.9%)
  • Saved an estimated US $4.6M over 15 months (a US $1,486 reduction in average US Medicare spending per patient)
  • Decreased 60-day inpatient readmission (-2.1%)

A whitepaper on calculating the value of remote ICU monitoring (tele-ICU) can be found here.

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips' health technology portfolio generated 2016 sales of EUR 17.4 billion and employs approximately 70,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.

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About Emory Healthcare

U.S. based-Emory Healthcare, with more than 17,000 employees and seven hospitals, is the most comprehensive academic health system in Georgia. Emory Healthcare has $3.3 billion in annual net revenue and provides $73.5 million in charity care. System-wide, it has 2,046 licensed patient beds, over 2,000 physicians practicing in more than 70 specialties and serves metro Atlanta with 200 locations. Emory Healthcare is the only health system in Georgia with three Magnet-designated hospitals, Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital, Emory University Hospital and Emory University Orthopaedics & Spine Hospital, for nursing excellence. Emory Healthcare's core purpose: “To serve humanity by improving health through integration of education, discovery and health care.” For more information, visit www.emoryhealthcare.org.

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About East Metropolitan Health Service

EMHS provides a comprehensive range of health services to more than 680 000 people living within Perth’s eastern corridor. This includes the provision of both hospital and community based services within the EMHS catchment area, in addition to state-wide services such as the adult major trauma unit, based at RPH.


EMHS consists of:

• Royal Perth Hospital

·         Armadale Hospital

• Bentley Hospital

• Kalamunda Hospital

• St John of God Midland Public Hospital

• EMHS population and community health programs

www.eastmetropolitan.health.wa.gov.au

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Contacts

Albertine Schor

Albertine Schor

Brand and Communications Manager

Tel: +61 (02) 9947 0040

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