Telemedicine Critical Care-Mediated Mortality Reductions in Lower-Performing Patient Diagnosis Groups: A Prospective, Before and After Study.

Objectives: Studies evaluating telemedicine critical care (TCC) have shown mixed results. We prospectively evaluated the impact of TCC implementation on risk-adjusted mortality among patients stratified by pre-TCC performance.

Design: Prospective, observational, before and after study.

Oropharyngeal secretion volume in intubated patients: the importance of oral suctioning.

Background: Aspiration of secretions that accumulate above the cuff of the endotracheal tube is a risk factor for ventilator-associated pneumonia. Routine suctioning of oropharyngeal secretions may reduce this risk; the recommended frequency for suctioning is unknown.

Objectives: To quantify the volume of secretions suctioned from the oropharynx of critically ill patients at 2 different intervals to assist in identifying a recommended frequency for oropharyngeal suctioning.