Virtual wards: urgent care policy must follow the evidence

Abstract

NHS urgent and emergency care is under unbearable strain, which is increasingly causing harm to patients. 1 Overcrowding in emergency departments and stasis in acute medical units-driven by workforce and capacity constraints-prevent timely and high quality care. 2 This exacerbates low staff morale, perpetuating burnout and the high absence levels which currently dominate. The covid-19 pandemic and latterly a severe flu season have arguably expedited the crisis, but the spiral of decline in urgent and emergency care has been happening for a decade and, unless urgent action is taken, we may not yet have reached its nadir.

Length of stay and economic sustainability of virtual ward care in a medium-sized hospital of the UK: a retrospective longitudinal study

“…7 By considering all these aspects-length of stay, survival, readmission rates and costs-it will be possible to assess the impact of virtual wards on patient care and their effectiveness in comparison to traditional inpatient care. The findings from this study respond to recent requests for evidence-based, informed virtual ward provision 8 and will contribute to a deeper understanding of the potential benefits and implications of virtual wards as an alternative care model.…”

Can we learn from an imagined ransomware attack on a hospital at home platform?

“…It is an innovative model that provides hospital-level care in the patient’s home, supported by digital systems, remote monitoring, and telemedicine 2 . It can be used as an alternative to admission or to enable earlier discharge 3 , and it has been proposed as a substitute for acute care in hospitals for specific patient populations, who would traditionally have required close hospital observation. This model also allows for a more rational use of health professionals and better addresses the shortage of professional health workers.…”

Remote Vital Sign Monitoring in Admission Avoidance Hospital at Home: A Systematic Review

“…22,23 Remote monitoring is being widely implemented by NHS Englanddtermed a "virtual ward"dalthough the distinction between clinical care models associated with such monitoring is not clearly specified. [24][25][26] Automated monitoring using wearable devices such as a chest patch can provide continuous data on heart rate, respiratory rate, and movement. This requires minimal direct involvement from patients or clinicians (passive monitoring).…”