Enhanced care program set up at six Mayo Clinic hospitals

(HealthDay)—A new program has been developed and implemented at six Mayo Clinic Health System hospitals to improve care and shorten hospital stays using remote monitoring, according to a press release issued by the Mayo Clinic.

In addition to care from the local team, patients' vital signs and other health data will be monitored by physicians and nurses on a computerized system able to detect changes in a patient's condition. Operations center staff will be able to communicate with patients, their families, and the care team using high definition video cameras and computer screens.

The Enhanced Critical Care program is in place at six Mayo Clinic Health System hospitals. The program is secure and private and is available at no additional cost to patients.

"This is a more proactive way to take care of patients," Sean Caples, D.O., a critical care specialist in Rochester, Minn., and program medical director, said in a statement. "The way we're delivering care is changing, but our end goal remains the same: providing the best care possible to patients. We're taking advantage of new technology to help us do that."