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

Abstract

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.