GE Healthcare has launched a new technology to support clinicians and health systems in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. The company is bringing its Mural Virtual Care Solution, which is designed to give hospitals a broad view across their ventilated patient population and help identify patients at risk of deterioration, to the Microsoft Azure cloud platform. This is the latest step in the ongoing collaboration between GE Healthcare and Microsoft.

As more patients enter health systems for COVID-19 treatment, hospitals face increased demands on clinical resources. The Mural Virtual Care Solution 1,2 helps ease this pressure by enabling clinical surveillance of ICU patients—including those on mechanical ventilation—in a central place, giving a comprehensive view of each patient’s data across the hospital network.

“As both large and small hospitals treat the growing number of COVID-19 patients, the strain on healthcare providers and systems will be unprecedented,” says GE Healthcare President and CEO Kieran Murphy. “Not only is GE Healthcare providing critically important medical devices to address this global challenge, but we are also rapidly scaling technologies to aid clinicians in delivering safe, effective and efficient care. We are excited to have a partner like Microsoft to help us arm clinicians with the software tools they need.”

A Mural installation across a 100-bed multi-site ICU network is monitored by three senior nurses and two intensivists around the clock. With a potential shortage of intensivists and bedside caregivers, Mural supports these teams by enabling additional oversight of patients across the hospital network. Bringing together near real-time data from ventilators, patient monitoring systems, electronic medical records, labs and other systems, Mural allows one clinician to monitor several patients at once, supplementing existing monitoring devices in patients’ rooms. Remote surveillance may also reduce clinicians’ exposure to COVID-19, while maintaining a broad view of patients across the hospital.

“Now more than ever we need to manage a greater number of ventilated patients with limited resources. Mural Virtual Care on Microsoft Azure allows for remote management and surveillance of ventilated patients at scale,” says Microsoft Global Chief Medical Officer David Rhew.

In addition to real-time remote management, Mural also enables health systems to activate care protocols relevant to treating COVID-19 patients and help caregivers ensure those protocols are being followed. Customized with hospitals to provide data and calculations based on their care protocols, Mural can also help identify patients needing intervention. This includes ventilation and lung injury management for patients on extended mechanical ventilation support. 

Through Jan. 31, 2021, GE Healthcare is waiving Mural software subscription charges. More information can be found at: www.gehealthcare.com/mural.