Virtual Care in Nursing Homes: Improving Patient Outcomes and Reducing Readmissions

The rise of virtual care is transforming healthcare, and nursing homes are no exception. With an aging population and increasing demand for healthcare services, nursing homes face the challenge of providing high-quality care while managing costs and staffing shortages. Virtual care solutions offer a promising avenue to address these challenges, improving patient outcomes and reducing hospital readmissions. In fact, telehealth adoption is now 17 times higher than pre-pandemic levels, demonstrating a permanent shift in how care is delivered.

Enhancing Access to Healthcare Services

One of the most significant benefits of virtual care in nursing homes is enhanced access to healthcare services for residents. Telehealth eliminates geographical barriers, allowing residents in remote or underserved areas to receive medical care without the need for travel. This is especially critical for vulnerable populations and those with mobility challenges.

Timely Medical Consultations: Residents can receive timely medical consultations, assessments, and follow-up care without leaving the facility.
Reduced Waiting Times: Telehealth reduces waiting times for appointments, allowing residents to receive timely care and avoid unnecessary delays.
Access to Specialists: Virtual care expands the range of healthcare options for residents by providing access to specialized healthcare services that may not be available on-site. For example, facilities can offer geropsychiatric and palliative care consults through telemedicine.

Improving Patient Outcomes

Virtual care can significantly improve the quality of care provided to nursing home residents. Telehealth enables healthcare providers to have real-time access to residents’ medical records, allowing for more accurate and comprehensive assessments.

Personalized Care: Residents receive personalized and evidence-based care tailored to their specific needs.
Better Coordination: Telehealth promotes better coordination and collaboration among healthcare providers, leading to more integrated care plans.
Early Detection of Deterioration: Telehealth and remote monitoring can detect clinical deterioration early, increasing clinicians’ ability to treat patients in place.
Improved Mental Health: Telehealth provides greater access to psychiatric services, which is particularly important as depressive symptoms increased in nursing home residents during the pandemic due to restricted visiting and increased isolation.

Reducing Hospital Readmissions

Hospital readmissions are a significant concern for nursing homes, leading to increased costs and disruptions in care. Virtual care can play a crucial role in reducing hospital readmissions by:

Remote Monitoring: Telemedicine platforms allow for timely interventions and continuous monitoring, aiding in chronic disease management and reducing hospital readmissions.
Transitional Care Management: Telehealth facilitates smooth transitions between care settings, ensuring continuity of care and reducing the likelihood of readmissions.
Patient Education: Virtual care empowers patients and caregivers through quality health education that supports discharge readiness, enabling them to make better decisions and take a more active role in their care.
Medication Adherence: Telehealth can assist with improving medication-taking behavior through automated medication reminders and proactive monitoring by healthcare providers.

A UC San Diego Health study found that a telemedicine clinic for high-risk patients seen immediately after leaving the hospital resulted in lower readmissions. The 30-day readmission rate for patients seen in the virtual transition of care clinic was 14.9%, compared to 20.1% for the benchmark group.

Reducing Healthcare Costs

Implementing telehealth services in nursing homes can minimize the need for costly hospital transfers and emergency room visits. Residents can receive timely medical consultations and interventions without physical transportation, reducing overall healthcare expenses.

Reduced Transportation Costs: Telehealth eliminates the need for transportation to off-site appointments, saving time and money for both residents and facilities.
Fewer Unnecessary Appointments: Healthcare providers can remotely assess and monitor residents’ health conditions, reducing the need for unnecessary in-person appointments.
Medicare Savings: Studies have shown that nursing homes using telemedicine can generate significant savings for Medicare due to reduced hospitalizations.

Addressing Staffing Shortages

The healthcare industry faces a growing shortage of nurses, and nursing homes are particularly affected. Virtual nursing offers a solution to mitigate staffing shortages and improve workforce well-being.

Remote Support: Virtual nurses can provide remote support to bedside nurses, assisting with tasks such as documentation, medication reconciliation, and patient education.
Improved Workload Balance: By delegating certain tasks to virtual nurses, bedside nurses can focus on hands-on care and have a better-balanced workload.
Extended Careers: Virtual nursing can extend the careers of experienced nurses who may have physical limitations or prefer a more flexible work environment.
Enhanced Communication: Virtual nurses can improve communication between patients, families, and healthcare providers, leading to increased satisfaction and better outcomes.

Overcoming Challenges to Implementation

While virtual care offers numerous benefits, nursing homes may encounter challenges during implementation.

Technical Issues: Addressing technical and practical obstacles, such as the availability of computers, tablets, and smartphones, is crucial for ensuring the proper delivery of telehealth services.
Resistance to Technology: Elderly patients may be distrustful of the remote delivery of care, and medical professionals may be reluctant to rely too heavily on telehealth technology.
HIPAA Compliance: Healthcare organizations must ensure that virtual care platforms and practices comply with HIPAA regulations to protect patient privacy and security.
Digital Divide: Limited access to adequate broadband in rural communities may deter organizations from deploying virtual care technology.

To ease the transition to telemedicine, nursing homes can:

Coordinate with nursing staff and administrators: Ensure everyone involved in administering or overseeing telehealth services is on the same page.
Designate a point person: Assign a staff member to manage the telehealth system and provide technical support.
Train staff on specific issues: Provide training programs to instruct and guide staff on telemedicine policies and procedures.
Seek out funding sources: Explore financial aid options from government organizations and other sources.

The Future of Virtual Care in Nursing Homes

Virtual care is poised to play an increasingly important role in nursing homes, transforming how care is delivered and improving the lives of residents. As technology advances and adoption rates increase, virtual care solutions will become more sophisticated and integrated into the healthcare system.

AI-Powered Virtual Assistants: Artificial intelligence (AI) can enhance virtual care by providing nurses with actionable insights, reducing documentation burdens, and improving decision-making.
Remote Patient Monitoring: Continuous remote monitoring of vital signs and other health data will enable early detection of potential problems and facilitate timely interventions.
Personalized Virtual Care Plans: Tailored virtual care plans will address the unique needs of each resident, optimizing their health outcomes and quality of life.
Expansion to Other Settings: The success of virtual care in nursing homes will pave the way for its expansion to other long-term care settings, such as assisted living facilities and home healthcare.

By embracing virtual care, nursing homes can enhance access to healthcare, improve patient outcomes, reduce hospital readmissions, and address staffing shortages. As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, virtual care will be an essential tool for providing high-quality, cost-effective care to our aging population.