accounts . “ We ’ ll release the app to a larger audience as we add functionality ,” says Brandon Maenius , manager of digital health at Baylor Scott & White . Mr . Maenius is a member of a new digital health department working with different clinical specialties to develop innovative ways to deliver health care .
A robot in the ICU The use of a telepresence robot in the eight-bed intensive care unit at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Marble Falls makes it possible for caregivers at the patient ’ s bedside in Marble Falls to consult with intensivists ( physicians who specialize in the care of critically ill patients ) who are located at other Baylor Scott & White ICU locations , such as Temple and College Station .
The FDA-approved robot assists clinicians at the hospital in Marble Falls , which serves the rapidly growing Hill Country and surrounding region . Caregivers are able to call upon the expertise of critical care specialists in other locations to help monitor and treat patients in Marble Falls . This extraordinary capability is realized by a process that ’ s actually quite simple : an intensivist at the remote hospital can log in to the robot via a computer , laptop , or tablet , and then navigate the robot to the patient ’ s room . There the physician can view and speak with the patient directly , or with the assistance of an on-site staff member , via a video screen . The robot is equipped with a camera , a microphone , a loudspeaker ,
Deana Garcia , BSN demonstrates the robot ’ s capabilities in the ICU at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Marble Falls .
and a screen that displays live video of the specialist at the remote location .
“ With a high-resolution camera , you can get a visual summary of the patient ’ s condition and a glance at the monitor to see how the patient is doing ,” says Edgar Jimenez , MD , system vice president of critical care integration at Baylor Scott & White Health . “ It takes just a few seconds to get the information you need . Compared with a phone consultation , it is much more accurate and timeefficient .” Dr . Jimenez cites a recent study showing that 67 percent of the information needed to make a
sw . org | May 16 THE CATALYST 7