"A huge difference:" New technology allows Aurora Medical Center to monitor patients' hearts in real-time

GRAFTON -- Thanks to new technology, doctors in Grafton are monitoring patients' hearts in three counties -- and it's all happening in real-time.

"Even when the patient doesn't have a nurse in front of them talking to them," said Bill Demeyer, ICU and Telemetry manager at Aurora Grafton Medical Center.

The techs connect with nurses and doctors in a matter of seconds.

"In cardiac patients, it makes a huge difference if you can catch the patient when the problem starts to happen," said Dr. Amer Tfaili, ICU intensivist at Aurora Grafton Medical Center.

But now, a new "telemetry heart monitoring hub" transmits data from patients at three Aurora locations.

Inside the room at the Grafton location, two telemetry techs can monitor about 120 different patients.

The Mequon company Techteriors worked with GE Healthcare to customize the hospital's vision.

"We are actually able to take all of the separate screens, we combine them into one large display," said Jeremy Vierck with Techteriors.

Telemetry techs are on-hand 24/7. This takes some pressure off the nurses who used to have to do the work.

"This is their sole job and they're able to get really good at doing it," said Demeyer.

It's an effort to utilize technology to provide faster, more efficient care to patients and hopefully a better outcome.

"If we intervene immediately, we will be able to prevent a cardiac arrest," said Dr. Tfaili.

Aurora is looking to revamp its technology in Kenosha and Green Bay to monitor patients at multiple locations.