Critical Connections Program  Our promise to you    How does the eICU system work?    How does my physician work with the Critical Connections team?  How does the Critical Connections team deliver medical care?   Why are cameras necessary to watch my loved one?  How can I be sure that my loved one's private health information is protected?

How can I be sure that my loved one's private health information is protected?
Several measures have been taken:

• Access to information is limited to those with hospital authorization.
• Information is not released to anyone other than those providing medical care.
• No temporary or permanent recording is made from any camera or microphone.
• Sending patient information to/from the Critical Connections Center occurs only over private phone lines. Information is NOT transmitted over the Internet.
• A scrambling technique is applied to all information (encryption) to make it unreadable as it travels across the phone lines. When the information reaches the Critical Connections Center, the technique is reversed so that physicians and nurses can read it. Data is sent from the Critical Connections Center to the hospital in the same way.
• All personnel enter the Critical Connections Center through secured access.
• Critical Connections physicians use a secured personal identification number (PIN) as an authorized electronic signature instead of a written signature when ordering treatments.
• These numbers are private and periodically changed to ensure security.

Our staff and physicians are happy to answer any questions you may have about the Critical Connections Program.