Advanced ICU Care Awarded Accreditation from the Joint Commission

Distinction demonstrates commitment to quality and a rare achievement in ICU telehealth

St. Louis, MO (January 13, 2009) - By meeting The Joint Commission's national standards for health care quality and safety, Advanced ICU Care has earned Joint Commission accreditation for ambulatory care, recognized nationally as the Gold Seal of Approval™ in health care. A medical services company, Advanced ICU Care brings 24/7 intensivist care to hospital ICU patients through telemedicine technology.

"We sought accreditation to demonstrate our commitment to the highest standards in patient safety and quality," said Mary Jo Gorman, MD, MBA, chief executive officer of Advanced ICU Care. "Accreditation also strengthens our ability to partner with our client hospitals on physician credentialing and privileging, allowing for greater efficiencies and demonstrating our high physician standards. We've broken new ground within ICU telehealth with this distinction," added Gorman, "as we believe that we're one of the first private ICU telehealth organizations to achieve accreditation."

The Joint Commission conducted an on-site evaluation of Advanced ICU Care on December 8 and 9, 2008. The rigorous review, including an assessment of care processes and visits with staff, validates Advanced ICU Care's continuous process improvement efforts and commitment to the day-to-day delivery of safe, high-quality care.

"Achieving accreditation by The Joint Commission demonstrates that Advanced ICU Care has voluntarily sought an independent evaluation of its compliance with state-of-the-art performance standards," said Michael Kulczycki, executive director, Ambulatory Care Accreditation Program, The Joint Commission. "This exceptional distinction sets Advanced ICU Care apart," added Kulczycki, "particularly as a provider in the area of ICU telehealth."

"Advanced ICU Care's focus on quality echoes our own," said Larry Hegland, MD, chief medical officer at Ministry Health Care's Saint Clare's Hospital in Weston, Wisconsin, which uses Advanced ICU Care's program. "We're excited about their accreditation; this is another example of the company's commitment to quality and their support in ensuring that our patients receive the best possible care and safety in the ICU."

Advanced ICU Care uses telemedicine technology to deliver experienced, board-certified intensivists to critically ill patients in hospitals that lack access to ICU specialists. The company is a pioneer in using technology to address common issues facing hospitals, such as the shortage of critical care physicians, as well as continuous improvements in patient care outcomes and quality and safety of care. Advanced ICU Care was the first private group to bring intensivists to hospitals through eICU technology, and it has a proven track record in helping hospitals better manage patient flow, resulting in improved margin, revenue and quality of care.

"This is another first for our company, and one that was extremely important given our focus on continuous improvement and the delivery of quality care," added Gorman. "This was truly a team effort, and one that showcases our commitment to meeting the highest national standards for health care quality and safety."

An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the predominant standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Since 1975, The Joint Commission has developed state-of-the-art standards for outpatient ambulatory care organizations. Nearly 1,200 freestanding ambulatory care organizations maintain Joint Commission accreditation.

About Advanced ICU Care
Advanced ICU Care is a medical service company that provides high-quality remote critical care to patients in the intensive care units (ICU) of community hospitals. Hospital ICUs are linked with Advanced ICU Care's eICU Operations Center in St. Louis, Missouri through a technology platform developed by VISICU, allowing Advanced ICU Care's board-certified intensivists (critical care medicine physicians) and critical care nurses to monitor hospital ICU patients from a central location. Founded to improve access to critical care expertise, deliver best practices to patients by leveraging telemedicine technology, and establish intensivists as the standard of care, the Advanced ICU Care program delivers around-the-clock critical care specialists, dramatically improving patient care. For more information, visit: www.icumedicine.com

For media inquiries, contact:
Donya Hengehold
(314) 276-4995
donya@dh-communications.com

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