ICU telemedicine done right is a program, not a doctor on a screen

A patient in intensive care gets worse at 2 a.m., and the hospital has no critical care doctor in the building. Chris Gallagher, a cardiologist and founder of Access TeleCare, has spent 15 years building virtual care programs inside hospitals, and he explains why that gap is so hard to close. This episode is based on his article "Why tele-critical care deserves expansion, not retreat," published on KevinMD. You will hear why the technology can never be allowed to fail, why training doctors to build trust through a screen is its own skill, and how a team-based approach let his group manage cardiac arrests with the doctor not in the hospital. He walks through the hybrid staffing hospitals are using now, with nurse practitioners at the bedside and physicians on video, and answers the charge that telemedicine is a cost-cutting move. He is also direct about the limits of the current evidence. Press play to hear what separates virtual critical care done right from done wrong. Partner with me on the KevinMD platform. With over three million monthly readers and half a million social media followers, I give you direct access to the doctors and patients who matter most. Whether you need a sponsored article, email campaign, video interview, or a spot right here on the podcast, I offer the trusted space your brand deserves to be heard. Let's work together to tell your story. PARTNER WITH KEVINMD → https://kevinmd.com/influencer SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast