When the pandemic began, Houston Methodist accelerated the timeline for completing ongoing virtual ICU programming and construction. In March of 2020, we launched a comprehensive virtual ICU system that utilizes specifically tailored remote clinical surveillance and data analytics platforms as well as interactive video conferencing.

The virtual ICU system has provided a great advantage to health care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic as it reduces the amount of direct patient interaction needed, thereby limiting PPE use and potential exposure to pathogens. At the same time, virtual ICU system increases the number of patients that can be cared for simultaneously and empowers clinical staff to provide earlier interventions.

The virtual ICU provides continuous intensivist coverage for Houston Methodist’s 300+ ICU beds, offering additional support to bedside ICU teams. The virtual unit’s operations center is equipped with specialized software that captures and analyzes real-time clinical data to calculate each patient’s stability or risk of deterioration, allowing the team to anticipate events and act quickly. Each of the ICU rooms are equipped with a virtual alert button so that the bedside team can immediately alert the remote intensivist and nurses. The patient rooms also contain two-way audiovisual technologies for unobtrusive observation or communication between the patient, bedside team and virtual team. Houston Methodist has also deployed tablets for health care providers to perform “virtual rounds” on patients.