West Tennessee Healthcare Launches Centralized Monitoring Unit

West Tennessee Healthcare has announced the launch of a new Centralized Monitoring Unit (CMU) and eICU, powered by Philips, to strengthen patient safety, improve response times, and support clinical teams across the health system.

The CMU uses an advanced monitoring and communication platform to continuously track patients’ vital signs and cardiac rhythms from a central location. This technology enables around-the-clock oversight by trained telemetry technicians and critical care nurses who collaborate with bedside caregivers in real time to quickly identify and respond to changes in a patient’s condition.

West Tennessee Healthcare will launch an eICU virtual command center in early 2026, also powered by Philips technology. This command center will provide a single, enterprise telehealth platform for managing inpatient virtual care. It integrates data, wave forms, labs, and documentation, enabling remote teams to oversee large patient populations and intervene proactively for timely patient care.

“This innovation represents another important step in our commitment to patient safety and quality care,” said [Teresa Freeman, Chief Nursing Informatics Officer for West Tennessee Healthcare. “By combining the expertise of our clinical monitoring team with the technology of eCareManager, we can detect early warning signs and intervene faster—often before a patient’s condition becomes critical.”

Through secure system-wide connectivity, patient data from bedside monitors across multiple hospitals is transmitted directly to the CMU. Using eCareManager’s intelligent alert system, the team can efficiently assess incoming alarms, validate critical data, and immediately communicate with nursing units when intervention is needed.

In addition to improving patient outcomes, the CMU reduces alarm fatigue for bedside staff by filtering non-urgent alerts and streamlining communication. This allows nurses to focus more time on direct patient care while maintaining confidence that every patient is being continuously monitored.

“The Centralized Monitoring Unit brings together people, process, and technology to create a safer, smarter hospital environment,” said Melissa Walls, Director of Virtual Care & Centralized Monitoring for West Tennessee Healthcare. “Partnering with Philips allows us to extend the reach of our clinical teams and deliver a higher level of care for every patient we serve.”

The new CMU is located at 253 Bancorp South Parkway Jackson, TN, and currently monitors patients across multiple West Tennessee Healthcare facilities. Future plans include expanding its capabilities and integration with other digital health tools to further enhance patient monitoring and outcomes across the region.