Extra Set of Eyes Caring for ICU Patients at Mercy

By Colleen Chen, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Family members of patients at Mercy Health System in Oklahoma City said an electronic monitoring system is helping them feel more secure.

Mercy physicians and nurses in the metro got a look at the electronic Intensive Care Unit they've been using for the past few years on Wednesday. The eICU command center features screens that monitor patient vitals, records and a live picture of the patient themselves. The high definition cameras allow physicians in St. Louis, Missouri to have virtually the same access as bedside doctors and nurses.

All ICU rooms have a camera and speaker connected to the eICU system. Dr. Jon Laprie said the system is a huge help overnights and on weekends when the staff is lower.

"I sleep a lot better at night knowing someone is watching my patients. It's important at a time when I can't physically be present at the hospital," Laprie said.

The command center is staffed with experienced nurses and doctors who can be used as an additional resource or just an extra set of eyes. The cameras are strong enough for those using the system to zoom in and read labels on IV bags and check a patient's pupils.

Bill Zamboni is the parent of a patient in critical condition at Mercy in Oklahoma City.

"Late at night when they needed help for Christopher, they used the system with him twice," Zamboni said. "It makes me feel more secure, you know? They don't have to wait for an on call doctor to come in and get up to speed to know what's going on. You have someone monitoring the system all the time."

Mercy Health System monitors more than 400 critical patients across their four states to provide an additional layer of care to on-site physicians.