REXBURG — Madison Memorial Hospital recently announced a new agreement with University of Utah Health to provide patients with better access to health advice and instruction.

The agreement will be paired with a special videoconferencing system, called TeleICU, where patients can speak to doctors and other health professionals who aren’t based at Madison Memorial.

TeleICU is similar to a computer that uses Skype, a popular internet videoconferencing program. The screen is set up on a cart so it can be mobilized to different patient rooms as needed, allowing around-the-clock communication with professional health resources at University of Utah Health.

Doug McBride, executive director of business development for Madison Memorial, said TeleICU is one way that the hospital is always trying to improve the care of its patients.

“The main idea behind is it this system will hook us up straight to the University of Utah ICU,” he said. “Each position is on call, so we’ll have access 24/7 to their ICU unit. This gives us a direct contact to their ICU health specialists. It allows our patients to get the top quality care they need.”

This isn’t the only connection Madison Memorial Hospital has to the Salt Lake City-based university. It also has a relationship with the Huntsman Cancer Institute with the University of Utah, and both provide the people of the Upper Snake River Valley with more health options than ever before.

“This relationship now gives us resources so our patients don’t have to travel down to Salt Lake City for some things,” McBride said, “and gives us additional recourse for our patients to have top-quality care.”

In a news release from Madison Memorial, University of Utah Health CEO Gordon Crabtree said the goal of the TeleICU technology is to positively benefit the lives of hospital patients.

“We know patients and their family members don’t want to travel while dealing with health care crises,” Crabtree said. “Because of this agreement, the people of Madison Memorial don’t have to travel to receive critical care.”

According to the news release, both University of Utah Health and Madison Memorial emphasize the agreement does not change ownership, local control or governance or restrict patient choice in providers.