TELEICU POC - Planning the first TELEICU POC Hub and Spoke at K. R. Hospital with the support of Mysore Medical College

Inputs on TeleICU Track

Due to the acute shortage of specialist doctors in the rural government hospitals, we are looking at developing a TeleICU module in order to provide remote intensivists support over an online platform.

• Who calls the shots: The model proposed is that of the remote online specialist (eg intensivist/pulmonologist) will only advise the local doctor, and its the local doctor who will make the final diagnosis, prescribe medication, tests and procedures. 
• Simple Video Interface: A Simple video interface to allow for Tele ICU rounds between the specialist doctor in Bangalore/Delhi/NewYork/London and the local doctor at the govt. hospital will allow for an effective way of interaction and can help the rural hospital improve outcomes.
• Mobile First: Given the high penetration of mobile/smartphones in India, we need to ensure the TeleICU module supports a easy to use mobile interface for Android smartphones (97% of all Indian Smartphones are android).
• Keep it simple: Some doctors at the conference opined that we need to keep the interface and data captured to be very simple and minimal. "Don't make us do extra work just for technology's sake, our most important job is to take care of the patient, not fill out laborious forms". So it is important to take a minimalistic approach on online data capture. 
• Support paper forms and backend data entry: It might be very difficult to a PPE suited nurse or doctor to capture clinical data even on a well designed app running on a tablet with a stylus. So it might be necessary to continue with paper forms for clinical data capture and have a data entry person to digitize the paper forms for use by the online specialist in the TeleICU setting.
• Digital Game changer: TeleICU could transform ICU care in rural India: This technology has the potential to bring specialist doctors like intensivists and pulmonologist to rural government hospital and be able to support critical care infra in rural India, we need to be forward looking an try and embrace this new technology whoch might be a game changer and save a lot of lives. 

ICU Monitoring Using CoronaSafe. How can we monitor the 10BedICU equipment that has been deployed in government hospitals, ensure it is being maintained and used properly for high effectiveness?

• Video Camera Monitoring: The use of video cameras has been seen to be a very effective way to monitor ICU units and patient care. A single camera placed at the top corner of the 10BedICU hall could monitor the patients, the nurses and doctor rounds etc.
• Equipment Breakdown & Maintenance: One of the big challenges to deploying ICU infrastructure in rural hospitals is equipment maintenance of expensive and sophisticated ICU equipment. It is important that all assets be entered in the CoronaSafe asset register by hospital, and a QR code enabled sticker be affixed to each equipment. When any equipment breaksdown, the doctor/nurse/medical-technician need only scan the sticker of the faulty equipment and lodge a complaint with the AMC provider and the company will