GE Healthcare and Microsoft deploy virtual care solution to help clinicians manage COVID-19 patients

Digital & Innovation: GE Healthcare launched a new software solution to support clinicians and health systems in the treatment of critical COVID-19 patients.

The Mural Virtual Care Solution is designed to give hospitals a broad view across their ventilated patient population and help identify patients at risk of deterioration, via the highly secure and trusted Microsoft Azure cloud platform. This is the latest step in the ongoing collaboration between GE Healthcare and Microsoft.

As more patients enter health systems for COVID-19 treatment, hospitals face increased demands on clinical resources. The Mural Virtual Care Solution helps ease this pressure by enabling clinical surveillance of intensive care unit (ICU) patients – including those on mechanical ventilation – in a central place, giving a comprehensive view of each patient’s data across the hospital network.

“As both large and small hospitals treat the growing number of COVID-19 patients, the strain on healthcare providers and systems will be unprecedented,” said GE Healthcare President and CEO Kieran Murphy. “We are excited to have a partner like Microsoft to help us arm clinicians with the software tools they need.”

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An installation across a 100-bed multi-site ICU network is monitored by three senior nurses and two intensivists around the clock. With a potential shortage of intensivists and bedside caregivers, Mural supports these teams by enabling additional oversight of patients across the hospital network.

“Now more than ever we need to manage a greater number of ventilated patients with limited resources. This virtual care solution allows for remote management and surveillance of ventilated patients at scale,” said Microsoft Global Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Rhew.

In addition to real-time remote management, Mural also enables health systems to activate care protocols relevant to treating COVID-19 patients and help caregivers ensure those protocols are being followed. Customised with hospitals to provide data and calculations based on their care protocols, Mural can also help identify patients needing intervention. This includes ventilation and lung injury management for patients on extended mechanical ventilation support.

Facing the daunting outlook of a COVID-19 surge, it is imperative that healthcare workers use virtual ICU technology to safely monitor and care for the sickest patients while preserving PPE.

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