New technology invites hospital patients to consult with a virtual medical expert using a secure two-way camera system.

Virtua Health, South Jersey’s largest health system, recently launched virtual care programs in partnership with care.ai, the Orlando-based provider of the AI Smart Care Facility Platform. Select Virtua hospital units now enable patients to interact with a specially trained, remote staff member via the TV in the patient’s room. The patient and care provider can see and hear each other, and far-flung family members can also join these conversations virtually. 

First announced in February, the care.ai integration makes Virtua the first health system in Greater Philadelphia to commit to transforming nearly every inpatient room into a “smart” room with virtual care capabilities. By the end of 2025, more than 1,000 of Virtua’s inpatient beds across five hospitals will be connected to care.ai technology.

“Virtual care reflects Virtua’s commitment to innovate and evolve in support of outstanding patient experiences,” said John Matsinger, DO, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Virtua Health. “We are excited to be among the first to embrace this emerging care delivery model. In time, this technology will be the standard for the industry.”

Virtua Willingboro Hospital completed its care.ai implementation in April. Virtua Voorhees Hospital and Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden are currently installing care.ai equipment in a phased approach, with a target completion date in early 2025. Virtua’s hospitals in Marlton and Mount Holly will follow shortly after.

All virtual colleagues maintain open and ongoing communication with “on-the-ground” staff, working in tandem to coordinate patient care needs. Early feedback from participating Virtua patients has been highly favorable; many report a sense of security and comfort knowing they have an additional option for connecting with staff.

What is Inpatient Virtual Care?
Care.ai’s platform uses its proprietary AI and ambient monitoring technology to power secure in-room cameras and sensors that connect to monitors in hospital patient rooms. Through these devices, dedicated Virtua colleagues (most located in Virtua’s Care Logistics Center in Pennsauken) can initiate video conferencing – allowing the staff member and patient to see and hear one another and have a meaningful discussion. For privacy, these discussions are not recorded, and the camera is off outside of virtual visits.

At present, cameras have been installed in select hospital units to pilot specific functions. The initial offerings include:

• Virtual nurses: Select units within Virtua Willingboro and Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes hospitals are utilizing the care.ai cameras for virtual nursing. The Virtua-employed nurses support bedside nurses by taking on tasks that do not require being physically present. Examples include documenting medical history, providing education and instruction, and remotely monitoring vital signs.
• Virtual physicians: The intensive care units of Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and Willingboro Hospital are utilizing care.ai for a virtual intensivist (a physician who specializes in the care of critically ill patients). Virtua Willingboro also features an additional, remote doctor called a hospitalist who can simultaneously observe several patients during the overnight shift. In addition, virtual care enables a specialist at one hospital to meet and consult with a patient at a different hospital.  
• Virtual care coordinators: Patients of Virtua’s various medical-surgical units can speak with a virtual care coordinator prior to their return home. In some cases, these conversations introduce them to Virtua’s Care After Discharge program, which offers ongoing, outpatient monitoring for a set number of days (reducing instances of hospital readmission).

Importantly, all newly created virtual roles are additional members of the team and do not replace any existing positions.

“The virtual team members take on tasks like data entry and paperwork so that bedside doctors and nurses have more time with patients and more opportunities to provide compassionate, hands-on care,” said Dr. Matsinger.

Patient-Friendly Features
The care.ai system is designed with patient preferences in mind. For example, similar to how bedside staff knock before entering a person’s room, the virtual colleague will virtually ‘knock.’

“The patient can then decide whether to participate in a virtual consultation,” said Michael Capriotti, MBA, Virtua’s senior vice president of integration and strategic operations. “If the patient is resting or has visitors, they can decline the consultation and the virtual colleague can try again later.”

Perhaps the most popular feature is the ability for the virtual caregiver to add a patient’s family or trusted friend into the virtual conversation.

“Imagine an older patient whose adult child lives in a different state or can’t be physically present,” Capriotti said. “We can now invite that loved one ‘into the room’ and allow them to see, hear, and participate in the exchange between their parent and the caregiver. Everyone benefits.”

Expanding the Workforce for the Future
In addition to enhancing patient experience and outcomes, these virtual programs also create additional career opportunities for new and existing staff.

“At Virtua Health, we aim to think broadly about the various ways people can have rewarding careers,” said Catherine Hughes, MSN, MHA, RN, NEA-BC, senior vice president and chief nursing executive for Virtua Health. “At a time when nurses and doctors are in high demand and experts anticipate an industry shortage, we can stand apart by offering a diversity of roles that reflect different strengths, personalities, and preferences.”