Research: Virtual ward increased hospital capacity by 40%

Relieving respiratory hospital ward capacity amidst the pandemic

By on November 24, 2021

Our latest research, looking at the success of a virtual ward to support the earlier discharge of COVID-19 patients, has been peer-reviewed and published in the British Journal of Healthcare Management.

The evaluation study, in collaboration with Leicestershire Partnership Trust and De Montfort University, looked at the clinical and economic outcomes of a digital pathway, allowing patients to be discharged from acute hospital care and monitored within a community setting by a specialised team.

The virtual ward was found to be successful in assisting with earlier discharges and reducing clinically necessary re-admissions for patients admitted with COVID-19 – without compromising on patient safety.

The study followed 65 patients after their discharge from hospital with COVID-19 symptoms, as they completed their recovery in a virtual ward using CliniTouch Vie.

Read the full study:

Swift, J., Harris, Z., Woodward, A., O’Kelly, N., Barker, C. and Ghosh, S., 2021. An evaluation of a virtual COVID-19 ward to accelerate the supported discharge of patients from an acute hospital settingBritish Journal of Healthcare Management, pp.1-9.

Swift, J., Harris, Z., Woodward, A., O’Kelly, N., Barker, C. and Ghosh, S., 2021. The implementation of a virtual ward using digital solutions informing community clinicians in early supported discharge of patients with SARS-Cov2 respiratory symptoms from an acute hospital setting.

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