Hospitals Use Faraway Doctors To Monitor Patients

“It makes patient care safer and reduces the risk of errors”

Facing a shortage of emergency room physicians, six Maryland hospitals will use doctors in Delaware to monitor intensive care patients electronically, officials said Monday.

In Maryland eCare, an intensivist, or critical care physician, who is stationed at a center in Wilmington, Del., will supervise overnight care for as many as 150 patients. The doctor will also offer guidance to onsite nurses.

The collaborative program, funded by a $3 million grant, is needed, officials say, in rural areas such as southern Maryland, where three of the six hospitals are located. Read more