Health systems nationwide are taking advantage of virtual nursing tools to reduce clinicians' administrative workload.
How six systems are using virtual nursing:
- Philadelphia-based Jefferson Health is using virtual nursing to assist patients with check-ins, admissions, discharge paperwork, patient education, care consultation and EHR documentation.
- Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center is using virtual nursing to assist with admissions, discharges and rounding.
- Portneuf Medical Center, based in Pocatello, Idaho, is using a virtual nursing program that allows patients to receive information about the admission process, medical history and discharge information.
- Springfield, Mo.-based CoxHealth is expanding its virtual nursing to six hospitals. The virtual staffers include hospitalists, pharmacists and respiratory therapists.
- Cincinnati-based Bon Secours Mercy Health is piloting virtual nursing at three hospitals. The program will beam in nurses through televisions into patient rooms to help with admission, discharge, patient education and medication verification.
- Bryan-based Texas A&M's Health Center of Excellence in Forensic Nursing created a virtual nursing program that will provide follow-up care to violence and trauma survivors.