Hospitals reap benefits from virtual nursing system
MICHIGAN, UNITED STATES — Healthcare firms Trinity Health and BJC HealthCare have been implementing virtual nursing programs in their systems which have yielded positive results.
Michigan-based Trinity Health employs its TogetherTeam Virtual Connect Care which is comprised of a three-person team, one virtual and two on-site, to deliver patient care.
The system is being implemented in 21 of the system’s hospitals across 10 states, with around 1,900 beds.
“Patients receive comprehensive care from a collaborative team, made up of a direct care registered nurse, a nursing assistant or LPN, and an on-site registered nurse connecting virtually,” Michael Slubowski, president and CEO of Trinity Health, per Becker’s.
BJC Healthcare has also been utilizing a similar structure. While the ratio of virtual and in-person staff was not disclosed, the healthcare institution claims the arrangement has improved admission documentation rates, reduced nurse-adjusted voluntary turnover, and gave nurses more hours for in-bed patient care.
A number of health systems have introduced virtual care in their operations. These include Carilion Clinic, WellSpan Health, and Northwell Health.
