Today, it’s no secret that hospitals are overstretched when it comes to resources. They must innovate and embrace new solutions to ensure quality care, while also mitigating burnout and reducing costs.
Virtual patient observation, also described as using “virtual sitters,” is one innovative solution that is helping hospitals do more with less. By enabling nurses to observe multiple patients simultaneously, this tech can reduce the costs associated with in-person patient sitters which can add up quickly and go into the millions, according to Healthcare IT Today. It can also reduce patient safety risks by preventing or mitigating patient falls and self-harm.
More recently, current outlooks have emphasized how virtual patient sitting will benefit from Artificial Intelligence (AI), not only to reduce false alarms and associated “alarm fatigue,” but also to provide better predictive analytics over time to further increase patient safety.
Read on for our monthly news roundup showcasing the benefits of virtual patient sitters:
Virtual observation isn’t just for fall prevention: 5 insights on the tech’s safety, savings opportunities
Becker’s Hospital Review
From observing patients with short-term memory to those at risk of harming themselves, virtual sitters are improving patient care. Additionally, these technologies open hospitals up to huge savings, as Caregility Clinical Program Manager Donna Gudmestad says, “There’s quite a bit of potential savings when looking at virtual observation versus physical sitters in the room.”
How technology can alleviate effects of the nursing shortage
HealthTech Magazine
The nursing shortage has been persistent for a long time. But the pandemic has certainly amplified the situation—creating an unprecedented demand for nurses and nurse practitioners. This places a strain on overburdened hospital systems who are already near capacity. However, virtual sitter technologies are reducing the need for a 1:1 nurse to patient ratio, freeing up nurses to monitor multiple patients simultaneously while mitigating the effects of the nursing shortage.
Artificial intelligence to improve patient safety
McKnight’s Long-Term Care News
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now capable of supporting proactive care and enhanced monitoring capabilities tailored to meet the healthcare demands of hospitals, long-term care facilities and home care patients, without intrusive devices or complex deployments. The next level of solution providers will be capable of capturing quality predictive analytics as well. For example: predicting a fall before it even occurs and triggering a timely alert to prompt staff to take preventive action.