Telehealth program to bring critical care to Rexburg

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK)-Madison Memorial Hospital in Rexburg will partner with Intermountain Healthcare (IHC) for Telehealth Critical Care beginning October 1.

The program will allow adult patients suffering from critical conditions to be treated at Madison Memorial, as they would be in a larger, specialized Intensive Care Unit.

IHC perfected the process with its own rural hospitals over the past five years.

Madison Memorial said the partnership will provide clinical serve, staffed 24 hours a day, by a team of physicians, advanced practice clinicians and nurses. 

Collaborating with a local care team, Madison Memorial will be able to keep patients at its facility whenever possible.  IHC would provide consultations, daily rounding, and guidance to local teams.  It would allow patients and their family members to receive quality care near home.

According to the hospital, patients would enter the Madison Memorial Intensive Care Unit where providers could instantly communicate with IHC experts via teleconferencing.   They would then be able to discuss the patient’s condition and determine the best course of treatment.

“We are excited to partner with Intermountain Healthcare in this advanced telemedicine service to provide an extra layer of clinical support to our nurses, physicians and most importantly our patients,” says Kevin McEwan, Chief Nursing Officer at Madison Memorial.

The agreement will not change the ownership, local control or governance of Madison Memorial and will not restrict a patient’s choice in providers.