A Pilot Study of Ultrasonography-Naïve Operators' Ability to Use Tele-Ultrasonography to Assess the Heart and Lung.

INTRODUCTION: Remotely tele-mentored ultrasound (RTMUS) involves the real-time guidance of US-naïve providers as they perform point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) by remotely located, US-proficient providers via telemedicine. The concordance between RTMUS and POCUS in the evaluation of critically ill patients has not been reported. This study sought to evaluate the concordance between RTMUS and POCUS for the cardiopulmonary evaluation of patients in acute respiratory insufficiency and/or shock. METHODS: Ultrasound-naÏve nurses performed RTMUS on critically ill patients. Concordance between RTMUS and POCUS (performed by critical care fellows) in the evaluation of the heart and lungs was reported. The test characteristics of RTMUS were calculated using POCUS as a gold standard. Concordance between RTMUS and available transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and computed tomography (CT) scans was also reported. RESULTS: Twenty patients were enrolled. Concordance between RTMUS and POCUS was good (90%-100%) for left ventricle function, right ventricle (RV) dilatation/dysfunction, pericardial effusion, lung sliding, pulmonary interstitial syndrome, pleural effusion, and fair (80%) for lung consolidation. Concordance between RTMUS and TTE or CT was similar. RTMUS was highly specific (88%-100%) for all abnormalities evaluated and highly sensitive (89%-100%) for most abnormalities although sensitivity for the detection of RV dilatation/dysfunction (33%) and pulmonary interstitial syndrome (71%) was negatively impacted by false negatives. CONCLUSIONS: RTMUS may be a reasonable substitute for POCUS in the cardiopulmonary evaluation of patients with acute respiratory insufficiency and/or shock. These findings should be validated on a larger scale.

Brief training increases nurses' comfort using tele-ultrasound: A feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: Nurses and other non-physician providers have demonstrated proficiency at obtaining images in the tele-ultrasound system. However, use of this skill requires comfort with the procedure and willingness to incorporate it into practice. OBJECTIVES: To assess 1) level of comfort of non-physician providers performing tele-ultrasound before and after brief training and 2) feasibility of implementing an educational programme that improves level of comfort. METHODS: Feasibility study including a brief training session followed by hands-on tele-ultrasound. The pilot cohort performed tele-ultrasound on a healthy volunteer. The clinical cohort performed tele-ultrasound on criticalli ill patients with shock or respiratory failure. Remote intensivists provided real-time guidance via tele-medicine technology. Each participant completed a survey assessing training experience and level of comfort before and after training. RESULTS: Sixteen non-physician providers participated. All participants agreed that the training session prepared them for image acquisition and that the training experience was positive. The number of participants comfortable with ultrasound improved significantly (before vs. after training: 5/16 [31%] vs. 16/16 [100%], mean Likert score 2.7 vs. 4.8, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: After brief training, participants could comfortably perform tele-ultrasound and were more willing to incorporate it into tele-ICU-directed care. Results support conducting a larger-scale trial of tele-US to assess clinical utility.

Remote tele-mentored ultrasound for non-physician learners using FaceTime: A feasibility study in a low-income country.

PURPOSE: Ultrasound (US) is a burgeoning diagnostic tool and is often the only available imaging modality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, bedside providers often lack training to acquire or interpret US images. We conducted a study to determine if a remote tele-intensivist could mentor geographically removed LMIC providers to obtain quality and clinically useful US images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine Haitian non-physician health care workers received a 20-minute training on basic US techniques. A volunteer was connected to an intensivist located in the USA via FaceTime. The intensivist remotely instructed the non-physicians to ultrasound five anatomic sites. The tele-intensivist evaluated the image quality and clinical utility of performing tele-ultrasound in a LMIC. RESULTS: The intensivist agreed (defined as "agree" or "strongly agree" on a five-point Likert scale) that 90% (57/63) of the FaceTime images were high quality. The intensivist felt comfortable making clinical decisions using FaceTime images 89% (56/63) of the time. CONCLUSIONS: Non-physicians can feasibly obtain high-quality and clinically relevant US images using video chat software in LMICs. Commercially available software can connect providers in institutions in LMICs to geographically removed intensivists at a relatively low cost and without the need for extensive training of local providers.

Ultrasound images transmitted via FaceTime are non-inferior to images on the ultrasound machine.

PURPOSE: Remote telementored ultrasound (RTMUS) systems can deliver ultrasound (US) expertise to regions lacking highly trained bedside ultrasonographers and US interpreters. To date, no studies have evaluated the quality and clinical utility of US images transmitted using commercially available RTMUS systems. METHODS: This prospective pilot evaluated the quality of US images (right internal jugular vein, lung apices and bases, cardiac subxiphoid view, bladder) obtained using a commercially available iPad operating FaceTime software. A bedside non-physician obtained images and a tele-intensivist interpreted them. All US screen images were simultaneously saved on the US machine and captured via a FaceTime screen shot. The tele-intensivist and an independent US expert rated image quality and utility in guiding clinical decisions. RESULTS: The tele-intensivist rated FaceTime images as high quality (90% [69/77]) and could comfortably make clinical decisions using these images (96% [74/77]). Image quality did not differ between FaceTime and US images (97% (75/77). Strong inter-rater reliability existed between tele-intensivist and US expert evaluations (Spearman's rho 0.43; P<.001). CONCLUSION: An RTMUS system using commercially available two-way audiovisual technology can transmit US images without quality degradation. For most anatomic sites assessed, US images acquired using FaceTime are not inferior to those obtained directly with the US machine.

Tele-intensivists can instruct non-physicians to acquire high-quality ultrasound images.

PURPOSE: Intensive care unit telemedicine (tele-ICU) uses audiovisual systems to remotely monitor and manage patients. Intensive care unit ultrasound can augment an otherwise limited bedside evaluation. To date, no studies have utilized tele-ICU technology to assess the quality and clinical use of real-time ultrasound images. We assessed whether tele-intensivists can instruct nonphysicians to obtain high-quality, clinically useful ultrasound images. METHODS: This prospective pilot evaluated the effectiveness of a brief educational session of nonphysician "ultrasonographers" on their ability to obtain ultrasound images (right internal jugular vein, bilateral lung apices and bases, cardiac subxiphoid view, bladder) with real-time tele-intensivist guidance. All ultrasound screen images were simultaneously photographed with a 2-way camera and saved on the ultrasound machine. The tele-intensivist assessed image quality, and an independent ultrasound expert rated their use in guiding clinical decisions. RESULTS: The intensivist rated the tele-ICU camera images as high quality (70/77, 91%) and suitable for guiding clinical decisions (74/77, 96%). Only bilateral lung apices demonstrated differences in quality and clinical use. All other images were rated noninferior and clinically useful. CONCLUSION: Tele-intensivists can guide minimally trained nonphysicians to obtain high-quality, clinically useful ultrasound images. For most anatomic sites, tele-ICU images are of similar quality to those acquired directly by ultrasound.

Critical care telemedicine: evolution and state of the art.

OBJECTIVES: To review the growth and current penetration of ICU telemedicine programs, association with outcomes, studies of their impact on medical education, associations with medicolegal risks, identify program revenue sources and costs, regulatory aspects, and the ICU telemedicine research agenda. DATA SOURCES: Review of the published medical literature, governmental documents, and opinions of experts from the Society of Critical Care Medicine ICU Telemedicine Committee. DATA SYNTHESIS: Formal ICU telemedicine programs now support 11% of nonfederal hospital critically ill adult patients. There is increasingly robust evidence of association with lower ICU (0.79; 95% CI, 0.65-0.96) and hospital mortality (0.83; 95% CI, 0.73-0.94) and shorter ICU (-0.62 d; 95% CI, -1.21 to -0.04 d) and hospital (-1.26 d; 95% CI, -2.49 to -0.03 d) length of stay. Physicians in training report experiences with telemedicine intensivists that are positive and increased patient safety. Early studies suggest that implementation of ICU telemedicine programs has been associated with lower numbers of malpractice claims and costs. The requirements for Medicare reimbursement and states with legislation addressing providing professional services by telemedicine are detailed. CONCLUSIONS: The inclusion of an ICU telemedicine program as a major part of their critical care delivery paradigm has been implemented for 11% of critically ill U.S. adults as a solution for the problem of access to adult critical care services. Implementation of an ICU telemedicine program is one practical way to increase access and reduce mortality as well as length of stay. ICU telemedicine research including comparative effectiveness studies is urgently needed.

Half of the family members of critically ill patients experience excessive daytime sleepiness.

BACKGROUND: Sleepiness and fatigue are commonly reported by family members of intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Sleep deprivation may result in cognitive deficits. Sleep deprivation and cognitive blunting have not been quantitatively assessed in this population. We sought to determine the proportion of family members of ICU patients that experience excessive daytime sleepiness, sleep-associated functional impairment, and cognitive blunting. METHODS: Multicenter, cross-sectional survey of family members of patients admitted to ICUs at the University of Maryland Medical Center, Johns Hopkins University Hospital, and Christiana Hospital. Family members of ICU patients were evaluated using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, a validated survey assessing sleepiness in everyday situations (normal, less than 10); the Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire-10 (FOSQ-10), a questionnaire quantifying the impact of sleepiness on daily activities (normal, at least 17.9); and psychomotor vigilance testing, a test of cognitive function, in relation to sleep deprivation (normal mean reaction time less than 500 ms). RESULTS: A total of 225 family members were assessed. Of these, 50.2 % (113/225) had Epworth scores consistent with excessive daytime sleepiness. Those with sleepiness experienced greater impairment in performing daily activities by FOSQ-10 (15.6 ± 3.0 vs 17.4 ± 2.2, p < 0.001). Cognitive blunting was found in 13.3 % (30/225) of family members and 15.1 % (14/93) of surrogate decision-makers. Similar rates of cognitive blunting as reported by mean reaction time of at least 500 ms were found among family members whether or not they reported sleepiness (15.0 % (17/113) vs. 11.6 % (13/112), p = 0.45). CONCLUSIONS: Half of the family members of ICU patients suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness. This sleepiness is associated with functional impairment, but not cognitive blunting.

Asymptomatic deep vein thrombosis in patients undergoing screening duplex ultrasonography.

BACKGROUND: Because of concerns for propagating clots into pulmonary emboli by the placement of pneumatic compression boots (PCBs), the standard of care at our institution was to perform a duplex Doppler ultrasound with compression (DUSC) before applying PCBs. We sought to determine the rate of asymptomatic preexisting deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in hospitalized patients who underwent DUSC before PCB. METHODS: We evaluated consecutive patients who underwent lower extremity DUSC within 48 hours of admission. All patients were assessed for DVT risk factors using the American College of Chest Physicians' criteria (American College of Chest Physicians Conference on Antithrombotic/Thrombolytic Therapy: Evidence-Based Guidelines, 9th Edition). A t test, Wilcoxon rank sum test, and χ(2) or Fisher exact test were used to compare patients characteristics according to DVT status. Logistic regression was used to determine the importance of each risk factor on the risk of DVT. RESULTS: DUSC was performed during 1136 hospitalizations; 1071 patients were included in the dataset. Of those, 19 patients (1.8%) had asymptomatic DVT and had at least 1 risk factor; 16 (84.2%) had more than 1 risk factor. The only risk factors that were statistically significant were ambulatory dysfunction and thromboembolic disease history. CONCLUSION: Few patients have asymptomatic DVT upon admission; all of these patients have at least 1 predisposing risk factor. There appears to be no need for DUSC prior to initiation of PCBs. DUSC evaluation for DVT may be of value if there is a history of previous DVT, ambulatory dysfunction, or more than 3 risk factors, as the information may change therapeutic approaches.

Correlations between first documented cardiac rhythms and preceding telemetry in patients with code blue events.

BACKGROUND: Among in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) patients, the first cardiac rhythm documented on resuscitation records (FDR) is often used as a surrogate for arrest etiology. Although the FDR generally represents the electrical activity at the time of cardiopulmonary resuscitation initiation, it may not be the ideal rhythm to infer the arrest etiology. We hypothesized that a rhythm present earlier-at the time of the code blue call-would frequently differ from the FDR, because the FDR might represent the later stage of a progressive cardiopulmonary process. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate agreement between FDR and telemetry rhythm at the time of code blue call. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: A 750-bed adult tertiary care hospital and a 240-bed adult inner city community hospital. PATIENTS: Adult general ward patients monitored on the hospital's telemetry system during the 2 minutes prior to a code blue call for IHCA. INTERVENTION: None. MEASUREMENTS: Agreement between FDR and telemetry rhythm. RESULTS: Among 69 IHCAs, agreement between FDR and telemetry was 65% (kappa = 0.37). Among 17 events with FDRs of ventricular tachyarrhythmia (VTA), telemetry showed VTA in 12 (71%) and other organized rhythms in 5 (29%). Among 12 events with first documented rhythms of asystole, telemetry showed asystole in 3 (25%), VTA in 1 (8%), and other organized rhythms in 8 (67%). CONCLUSIONS: The FDR had only fair agreement with the telemetry rhythm at the time of code blue call. The telemetry rhythm may be a useful adjunct to the FDR when investigating arrest etiology.

The GENESIS project (GENeralized Early Sepsis Intervention Strategies): a multicenter quality improvement collaborative.

BACKGROUND: Improved outcomes for severe sepsis and septic shock have been consistently observed with implementation of early best practice intervention strategies or the 6-hour resuscitation bundle (RB) in single-center studies. This multicenter study examines the in-hospital mortality effect of GENeralized Early Sepsis Intervention Strategies (GENESIS) when utilized in community and tertiary care settings. METHODS: This study was comprised of 2 strategies to assess treatment. The first was a prospective before-and-after observational comparison of historical controls to patients receiving the RB after implementation of GENESIS in 4 community and 4 tertiary hospitals. The second was a concurrent examination comparing patients not achieving all components of the RB to those achieving all components of the RB in 1 community and 2 tertiary care hospitals after implementation of GENESIS. These 4 subgroups merged to comprise a control (historical controls treated before GENESIS and RB not achieved after GENESIS) group and treatment (patients treated after GENESIS and RB achieved after GENESIS) group for comparison. RESULTS: The control group comprised 1554 patients not receiving the RB (952 before GENESIS and 602 RB not achieved after GENESIS). The treatment group comprised 4801 patients receiving the RB (4109 after GENESIS and 692 RB achieved after GENESIS). Patients receiving the RB (treatment group) experienced an in-hospital mortality reduction of 14% (42.8%-28.8%, P < .001) and a 5.1 day decrease in hospital length of stay (20.7 vs 15.6, P < .001) compared to those not receiving the RB (control group). Similar mortality reductions were seen in the before-and-after (43% vs 29%, P < .001) or concurrent RB not achieved versus achieved (42.5% vs 27.2%, P < .001) subgroup comparisons. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with severe sepsis and septic shock receiving the RB in community and tertiary hospitals experience similar and significant reductions in mortality and hospital length of stay. These findings remained consistent when examined in both before-and-after and concurrent analyses. Early sepsis intervention strategies are associated with 1 life being saved for every 7 treated.

Bandemia with normal white blood cell counts associated with infection.

OBJECTIVE: Measuring immature white blood cell forms ("bands") has been considered clinically unnecessary. We performed this study to determine whether elevated band counts, with normal total white blood cells on admission, were associated with infection or in-hospital death. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study including all patients admitted to the Christiana Care Health System 2-hospital, 1100-bed community-based academic health system in 2009 with normal white blood cells (3800-10,800 per mm(3)) on admission who had manual differentials performed. We defined our band groups as normal (≤10% bands and other immature cells), moderate (11%-19%), or high (≥20%). Via chart review, we ascertained vital signs and culture results for all patients with elevated bands and 407 randomly sampled patients with normal bands. Cultures likely to be contaminants were excluded. We used multivariable logistic regression to determine whether bandemia was predictive of significant positive cultures or death. RESULTS: Of 2342 patients, 167 (7.1%) had high bands and 205 (8.6%) had moderate bands. The mean white blood cell count was 7.5 cells/mm(3), with no difference among groups. Bandemia was associated with increased odds of having any significant positive culture (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.0, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-3.1 for moderate bands; adjusted OR, 2.8, 95% CI, 1.7-4.3 for high bands) and having positive blood cultures (adjusted OR, 3.8, 95% CI, 2.0-7.2 for moderate bands; adjusted OR, 6.2, 95% CI, 3.2-11.8 for high bands). Patients with moderate or high bands also had increased odds of in-hospital death (adjusted OR, 3.2, 95% CI, 1.7-6.1; adjusted OR, 4.7, 95% CI, 2.4-9.0, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Even with normal total white blood cells, patients with moderate and high bandemia on admission had significantly increased odds of having positive cultures, including blood cultures, and of in-hospital mortality.

Antecedent bradycardia and in-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest mortality in telemetry-monitored patients outside the ICU.

BACKGROUND: Patients with in-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest (IHCA) precipitated by respiratory insufficiency often exhibit bradycardia before the arrest. We hypothesized that bradycardia frequently occurs in the 10 min preceding IHCA and is associated with poor outcomes when IHCA occurs outside the intensive care unit (ICU). OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence and association of antecedent bradycardia with outcome in adult patients with IHCA occurring outside the ICU. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study among telemetry monitored adults with IHCA outside the ICU in a two-hospital health system between 2008 and 2010 with follow-up until their discharge or death in-hospital. We defined (1) IHCA as >1 min of chest compressions or trans-thoracic defibrillation, (2) Antecedent bradycardia as at least 2 min of continuous heart rate between 1 and 59 beats per minute in the 10min preceding IHCA, and (3) ventricular tachyarrhythmia arrests as presence of sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmia for >20 s in the 10 min preceding IHCA. RESULTS: Of 98 IHCAs, 39 (39.8%) survived to hospital discharge. Of 98 IHCAs, 53 (54.1%) had antecedent bradycardia. After adjusting for potential confounders, antecedent bradycardia was associated with death prior to hospital discharge (adjusted OR=3.80, 95% CI: 1.47-9.81, p=0.006). Among patients with ventricular tachyarrhythmia arrests, antecedent bradycardia was associated with a higher risk of death (OR=13.1, 95% CI 1.92-89.5, p=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Antecedent bradycardia occurred frequently and was associated with death prior to hospital discharge in non-ICU hospitalized adults on telemetry monitoring who developed IHCA.

Resident perceptions of a tele-intensive care unit implementation.

OBJECTIVE: Remote intensive care unit (ICU) monitoring (tele-ICU) may provide a means to address the shortage of intensive care physicians. However, the consequences of implementing a tele-ICU system for house staff education and clinical experience are unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine resident perceptions of the impact of a tele-ICU implementation on patient care, education, and the overall work environment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional survey of residents who rotated through the medical ICU within the first year after the implementation of a tele-ICU in a large, academically affiliated, community hospital. Each question was graded on a 5-point Likert scale. RESULTS: Thirty-five of 60 residents completed the survey (58% response rate). Sixty-three percent of residents reported that tele-ICU was associated with an improved ability to focus on urgent patient issues, and 46% thought that the tele-ICU helped them to feel less overwhelmed. Although most residents were neutral (51%), 37% agreed that the tele-ICU was a valuable educational experience. Seventy-seven percent reported that the tele-ICU integration was associated with improved patient safety, but many were concerned about the impact on continuity and communication. There was no perceived association with patient or family satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that a tele-ICU implementation in a medical ICU does not seem to have a negative impact on the educational experience of residents and is associated with perceived improvements in patient safety and quality. Future studies should objectively measure the educational impact of implementing a tele-ICU system.

Emergency department tachypnea predicts transfer to a higher level of care in the first 24 hours after ED admission.

OBJECTIVES: The authors hypothesized that vital sign abnormalities detected in the emergency department (ED) can be used to forecast clinical deterioration occurring within 24 hours of hospital admission. METHODS: This was a retrospective case-control study performed after implementation of a hospitalwide rapid response team (RRT) system. Inclusion criteria for study patients consisted of age > or = 18 years, admission to the general floor though the ED, and RRT activation and subsequent transfer to a higher level of care in the first 24 hours. Control patients were > or =18 years, were admitted to the floor though the ED, never required RRT or transfer to a higher level of care, and were matched to cases by risk of mortality. Multilevel logistic regression was used to model the odds of an adverse outcome as a function of race and sex, respiratory rate (RR), heart rate (HR), and systolic (sBP) and diastolic blood pressure (dBP) at time of transfer from the ED. RESULTS: A total of 74 cases and 246 controls were used. RR (odds ratio [OR] = 2.79 per 10-point change, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.41 to 5.51) and to a lesser extent dBP (OR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.67 to 0.97) contributed significantly to the odds of intensive care unit (ICU) or intermediate care transfer within 24 hours of admission; HR (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.98 to 1.37) did not. CONCLUSIONS: Emergency department RR preceding floor transfer appears to have a significant relationship to the need for ICU or intermediate care transfer in the first 24 hours of hospital admission.

Improving care of the sepsis patient.

BACKGROUND: In 2004, Christiana Care Health System (Christiana Care), a 1,100-bed tertiary care facility, used the Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines as the foundation for an independent initiative to reduce the mortality rate by at least 25%. METHODS: In 2004, an interdisciplinary sepsis team developed a process for rapidly recognizing at-risk patients; evaluating a patient's clinical status; and providing appropriate, timely therapy in three major areas of sepsis care; recognition of the sepsis patient, resuscitation priorities, and intensive care management. The Sepsis Alert program, which did not require additional staffing, was developed and implemented in 10 months. The Sepsis Alert packet included a care management guideline, a treatment algorithm, an emergency department treatment order set, and multiple adjuncts to streamline patient identification and management. RESULTS: Introduction of sepsis resuscitation and critical care management standards led to a 49.4% decrease in mortality rates (p < .0001), a 34.0% decrease in average length of hospital stay (p < .0002), and a 188.2% increase in the proportion of patients discharged to home (p < .0001) when the historic control group is compared with the postimplementation group from January 2005 through December 2007. DISCUSSION: An integrated leadership team, using existing resources, transformed frontline clinical practice by providers from multiple disciplines to reduce mortality in the population of patients with sepsis.