New technology from Philips lets WakeMed Health & Hospitals match critical care patients with specialized physicians. Called the “eICU Program” – it’s in use at WakeMed Health & Hospitals in eastern North Carolina. WakeMed is an 870-bed private, not-for-profit health care system based in Raleigh, the hospital said in a statement.

Currently, about 88 adults in the critical care units at WakeMed’s Raleigh campus and Cary Hospital are provided the eICU service. The WakeMed eICU Service will likely soon be used for more patients at more settings. Hospitals, healthcare providers and patients benefit from the solution. The Philips eICU solution reduces complications, shortens hospitals stays and saves lives, the company explained.

“Many clinical decisions are based on data, including the patient’s vital signs, medications and test results. WakeMed has invested in the eICU technology because of its potential to enhance quality of care, patient safety and cost savings,” Bill Atkinson, WakeMed president and CEO, said. “WakeMed is a leading provider of critical care in the region, and this advancement is all about leveraging data and specialized medical providers to deliver the right treatment at the right time to maximize outcomes.”

The WakeMed eICU Service uses software and continual remote monitoring from Philips Healthcare. It connects bedside health-care providers with remote, critical-care nurses and physicians. They analyze patient data and trends from a central monitoring station round the clock. Bedside staff can identify and respond to changes immediately. Cameras and microphones located in each critical care room allow eICU physicians and nurses to interact with the bedside care team, the patient and the patient’s family.

In addition, the eICU Program offers a solution to the physician and nurse shortages found in many locations.

In other recent news about WakeMed, the hospital was the site for patients using a wearable robot device. The civilian use of the technology helps people who use wheelchairs to stand and walk again, according to HealthTechZone. WakeMed's rehabilitation hospital was one of just 16 in the United States to get the device.

WakeMed provides healthcare in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and eastern North Carolina.