Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2013 Jan;143(1):19-29.
doi: 10.1378/chest.11-3031.

The costs of critical care telemedicine programs: a systematic review and analysis

Gaurav Kumar  1 , Derik M Falk  2 , Robert S Bonello  3 , Jeremy M Kahn  4 , Eli Perencevich  5 , Peter Cram  5
Affiliations

The costs of critical care telemedicine programs: a systematic review and analysis

Gaurav Kumar et al. Chest. 2013 Jan.

Abstract

Background: Implementation of telemedicine programs in ICUs (tele-ICUs) may improve patient outcomes, but the costs of these programs are unknown. We performed a systematic literature review to summarize existing data on the costs of tele-ICUs and collected detailed data on the costs of implementing a tele-ICU in a network of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) hospitals.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of studies published between January 1, 1990, and July 1, 2011, reporting costs of tele-ICUs. Studies were summarized, and key cost data were abstracted. We then obtained the costs of implementing a tele-ICU in a network of seven VHA hospitals and report these costs in light of the existing literature.

Results: Our systematic review identified eight studies reporting tele-ICU costs. These studies suggested combined implementation and first year of operation costs for a tele-ICU of $50,000 to $100,000 per monitored ICU-bed. Changes in patient care costs after tele-ICU implementation ranged from a $3,000 reduction to a $5,600 increase in hospital cost per patient. VHA data suggested a cost for implementation and first year of operation of $70,000 to $87,000 per ICU-bed, depending on the depreciation methods applied.

Conclusions: The cost of tele-ICU implementation is substantial, and the impact of these programs on hospital costs or profits is unclear. Until additional data become available, clinicians and administrators should carefully weigh the clinical and economic aspects of tele-ICUs when considering investing in this technology.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Telemedicine program in the ICU (tele-ICU) systematic review literature search flow diagram.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Tele-ICU: operational structure. Arrows represent communication pathways (with description of communication) between entities involved in the tele-ICU. Each box represents entities involved in the tele-ICUs (real estate). The technology and staffing required for each entity are described in the boxes. EHR = electronic health record. See Figure 1 legend for expansion of other abbreviation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

References

    1. Berthelsen PG, Cronqvist M. The first intensive care unit in the world: Copenhagen 1953. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 2003;47(10):1190-1195 - PubMed
    1. Knaus WA, Wagner DP, Zimmerman JE, Draper EA. Variations in mortality and length of stay in intensive care units. Ann Intern Med. 1993;118(10):753-761 - PubMed
    1. Pronovost PJ, Rinke ML, Emery K, Dennison C, Blackledge C, Berenholtz SM. Interventions to reduce mortality among patients treated in intensive care units. J Crit Care. 2004;19(3):158-164 - PubMed
    1. Thompson DR, Clemmer TP, Applefeld JJ, et al. Regionalization of critical care medicine: task force report of the American College of Critical Care Medicine. Crit Care Med. 1994;22(8):1306-1313 - PubMed
    1. Barnato AE, Kahn JM, Rubenfeld GD, et al. Prioritizing the organization and management of intensive care services in the United States: the PrOMIS Conference. Crit Care Med. 2007;35(4):1003-1011 - PubMed

Publication types