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Virtual Connection to Enhance Critical Care at Atrium Health Floyd

​Advancement in Technology Links ICU Patients to Atrium Health Clinicians in Charlotte, N.C.

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Virtual connection

ROME, Ga., Oct. 18, 2023 – Critically ill patients in the Intensive Care Unit at Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center now have additional access to clinical experts in Charlotte, N.C., through an audio/video connection in their rooms. The service is an enhancement to the already stellar service provided by the local team of experts in critical care medicine.

The service allows immediate access to virtual physicians and nurses as a patient's condition warrants assessment. This means that even in the latest hours of the night or earliest hours of the morning, patients and their families can have peace of mind knowing they will receive a quick response when immediate care is needed.

The Virtual Critical Care team will only use the camera in the room after notifying visitors and staff at the bedside.

The use of virtual technology allows doctors in Charlotte to communicate instantly with the ICU team at the hospital. The continuous observation of critically ill patients allows the treatment plan to be adjusted based on the patient's condition and promotes healing as quickly as possible.

“This is one of the many ways patients benefit because we are part of the Atrium Health system," said Dr. Ken Jones, chief medical officer and senior vice president at Atrium Health Floyd. “Physicians, respiratory therapists and nurses in Charlotte now enhance our intensive care program. They can be on camera with us in seconds."

The Virtual Critical Care team provides:

  • Regular checks-in with patients
  • Prompt evaluation of new patients
  • Additional support to bedside caregivers
  • Reduction of both the ICU and hospital length of stay
  • Real-time communication with caregivers
  • Continuous patient monitoring
  • Faster response time in urgent situations
  • An added layer of safety and peace of mind

“This technology provides another tool to help us continue providing excellent care," said Lee Clevenger, director of critical care and cardiovascular services at Atrium Health Floyd. “The ability to quickly access additional clinical resources any time of day will provide better outcomes and give patients and their families added peace of mind."

About Atrium Health Floyd

The Atrium Health Floyd family of health care services is a leading medical provider and economic force in northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama. Atrium Health Floyd is part of Charlotte, North Carolina-based Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States, created from the combination of Atrium Health and Advocate Aurora Health. Atrium Health Floyd strategically combined with Harbin Clinic in 2024 and employs more than 5,200 teammates who provide care in over 40 medical specialties at four facilities: Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center – a 361-bed full-service, acute care hospital and regional referral center in Rome, Georgia; Atrium Health Floyd Polk Medical Center in Cedartown, Georgia; and Atrium Health Floyd Cherokee Medical Center in Centre, Alabama; and Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center Behavioral Health, also in Rome. Together, Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic provide primary care, specialty care and urgent care throughout northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama. Atrium Health Floyd also operates a stand-alone emergency department in Chattooga County, the first such facility to be built from the ground-up in Georgia.

About Advocate Health

Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. Advocate Health is nationally recognized for its expertise in heart and vascular, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs more than 160,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations and offers one of the nation's largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to redefining care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.