‘E-ICU’ Consultation Between AIIMS Delhi Doctors & 43 Hospitals From 11 States Begins

New Delhi: In a novel initiative, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the national capital has started ‘e-ICU’ to facilitate doctors from across the country treating COVID-19 patients to consult doctors at the New Delhi hospital via video conference, reported Financial Express (FE).

A total of 43 hospitals from 11 states have been able to collaborate with the AIIMS doctors in four sessions so far. At least 13 hospitals from Tamil Nadu benefited from the initiative, followed by 10 from Mumbai and 5 from Assam. Each of the sessions lasted for around one-and-a-half to two hours, reported FE, quoting a press release issued by the Union Health Ministry.

It also said that the primary motto behind the initiative was to reduce the mortality rate in the country in view of the increasing number of Coronavirus cases in the country.

Consultation via ‘e-ICU’ comprises the following:

• Reporting findings and experience to the expert team of doctors at AIIMS.
• The use of drugs that are currently being used to treat COVID-19 patients including Remdesivir and Hydroxychloroquine.
• The efficacy and practicality of plasma treatment
• The use of proning, high flow oxygen, non-invasive ventilation 

So far, only those hospitals that have at least 1000 or more COVID-19 beds are being roped in for such sessions. However, the hospital will start such sessions with hospitals that have up to 500 beds reserved for COVID-19 patients. For a hospital to become eligible for such sessions, the minimum number of beds will include isolation and oxygen beds along with ICU beds, the release said.