Important Administrative Aspects of Critical Care Telemedicine Programs

Abstract

Conceptualizing, designing, implementing, and sustaining a successful critical care telemedicine program is a complex undertaking. All of these steps must be fully accomplished as a joint effort between a host facility and the telemedicine service provider. Important administrative considerations that must be incorporated into planning and execution steps include managing change. We briefly discuss critical aspects of establishing a sustainable business model, and aligning the critical care telemedicine program with institutional vision, goals, and mission. Discussed are important telemedicine provider infrastructure, key personnel considerations, and how a program defines and measures value.

Keywords: Balanced scorecard; Critical care; Financial models; Organizational structure; Personnel management; Quality metrics; Telemedicine.