How new digital technologies are transforming intensive care

Doctor Ho-Young Lee's team is developing information and communication technologies (ICTs) for healthcare, including a system that facilitates remote management of intensive-care units (ICUs). Lee discusses the benefits these technologies offer and how they will reduce the burden on nurses and doctors who are working on the front line of intensive care.

Q: Why is this an exciting time to be working in ICT for healthcare?

All fields of human knowledge and endeavour are being leveraged to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare ICT is one of those fields, and it has been a special focus of our ingenuity and technology. In addition to isolating, managing and treating the huge numbers of COVID-19 patients, hospitals have to diagnose and treat patients with other medical concerns. Healthcare ICT is playing a vital role in simultaneously addressing urgent medical needs and routine treatment.

Q: What long-term effects do you think the pandemic will have on health care?

Much of the new healthcare ICT technology that is now helping to tackle the pandemic will be used in the post-COVID-19 era. From the patient’s perspective, there will be a change in how they interact with hospitals, while medical staff will be expected to use various healthcare ICT technologies that have now become mainstream. Medical care will change radically, becoming more accessible, efficient and continuous.

Q: How has the pandemic changed intensive care?

Intensive care has always been a critical area of medicine, but its importance is greater than ever with COVID-19 straining hospital ICUs. Providing intensive care to patients with infectious diseases has its unique challenges and they increase the burden on ICU staff. Multi-disciplinary care is often required, making collaboration between various specialists critical. Healthcare ICT can play a key role in streamlining the work and helping to maintain smooth and continuous intensive care.

Q: What are electronic ICUs (eICUs) and why are they an exciting development?

eICUs are systems that allow medical staff from different ICUs to collaborate remotely by sharing patient data and images. Intensive care is expensive and requires highly trained medical personnel. Thus, an increase in demand, such as in the pandemic, stretches limited resources. The eICU can support the efficient use of existing personnel and facilities, playing an important role in ensuring the quality and continuity of intensive care through cooperation between ICUs.

Q: What is SNUBH doing in developing and implementing eICUs?

SNUBH has developed an eICU that has video call and data link functions, and we’re using it in several hospitals. The system includes the dashboard and the rapid response system of each ICU. Convenient remote monitoring of patient condition, as well as the overall operational status of ICUs enable timely and efficient collaboration. We plan to expand this system to function as a base for SNUBH when connecting with other medical centres to provide support.

Q: eICUs are clearly beneficial for infectious diseases because they allow a doctor to monitor patients without being physically present. Are there any other areas that particularly stand to benefit?

eICU is highly effective in treating critically ill patients with infectious diseases that require isolation. Furthermore, the need for multi-disciplinary care in ICUs is increasing in rapidly ageing societies like South Korea. Medical staff in various treatment fields must cooperate to provide treatment, which involves working around conflicting schedules to visit patients in the ICU. The eICU facilitates timely and efficient decision-making as multiple specialists can send their expertise simultaneously in real time. Also, central monitoring of ICUs allows medical staff to respond more quickly to changes in a patient’s condition.

Q: Have any concerns been raised about the use of eICUs?

One concern raised during the development was some people might see eICU as a way to compensate for a scarcity of ICU resources. The eICU can alleviate the heavy workload and increase efficiency, but it is not a silver bullet that can make up for lack of funding, facilities and staff. Therefore, application of eICU must go hand-in-hand with the ongoing provision of fundamental care.

Q: What is the personal healthcare app Health4u, and what functions does it offer?

Health4U is an app that provides the personal health records for patients in SNUBH. Patients can use it to check things like hospital appointments, test results and medication data. The doctor can check physical activity, weight change, blood pressure, blood sugar level that the patient measures at home. This allows doctor to see how patients have been managing conditions at home. Health4U effectively extends hospital treatment and health management to the home.

Q: How do you envision healthcare ICT looking like after the pandemic?

After the pandemic, most outpatient treatment will probably be conducted remotely. The concept of hospital space is also expected to change dramatically, allowing more flexibility, while retaining inpatient space and reducing the physical space allocated to outpatient clinics. In addition, treatment systems that support patients after they have been discharged are expected to be utilized. General hospitals will focus more on complex and difficult treatments. Patient access to medical care will be improved, as will continuity of care. Healthcare ICT is contributing to creating a healthier society. To support people’s health management. To achieve this goal, medical personnel, along with experts in various fields, such as IT experts, need to collaborate. We’re looking forward to contributing to creating a healthier society through cooperation and communication with experts in various fields.