Patent ID: 7650291

Claim:
A system for providing expert care simultaneously to a plurality of separated intensive care units (ICUs) from a remote location comprising: a network; a dedicated location for monitoring and managing the care of ICU patients connected to the network, which location is apart from the ICUs (remote command center), wherein the remote command center has access to an organized collection of electronic information (database); monitoring stations located in the plurality of ICUs, wherein the monitoring stations comprise instructions for obtaining data elements from patients who are located in the plurality of ICUs (monitored patient data elements) and for communicating the monitored patient data elements to the database via the network, wherein the database comprises stored patient data elements comprising the monitored patient data elements and other patient data elements associated with medical conditions of the ICU patients; an audio system comprising instructions for obtaining audio from the ICU patients who are located in the plurality of ICUs and for communicating the audio via the network; a video system comprising instructions for obtaining video from the ICU patients who are located in the plurality of ICUs and for communicating the video via the network; wherein the audio from the audio system and the video from the video system are received at the remote command center; and wherein the remote command center has access to a computerized patient care management system, which comprises instructions for: accessing patient data elements from the stored patient data elements in the database; utilizing a rules engine to apply rules repeatedly and automatically 24 hours per day 7 days per week to at least two patient data elements, wherein the rules identify medical conditions of the ICU patients; using information generated by the rules engine to determine if an alert should be provided at the remote command center; and providing alerts at the remote command center in accordance with the rules.