Orlando (Fla.) Health has expanded virtual sitting to five hospitals a year after unveiling the program.
As part of the service, sitters virtually monitor patients who are at high risk for falls and other complications during their hospital stays.
The health system launched 48 virtual-sitting camera carts last summer at Orlando Regional Medical Center, Dr. P. Phillips Hospital in Orlando, Health Central Hospital in Ocoee, Fla., and South Seminole Hospital in Longwood, Fla., later extending the program to South Lake Hospital in Clermont, Fla.
"As the healthcare industry adapts to challenges, remote monitoring services have become increasingly important to the system," said Candace McKnight, MSN, RN, senior director of workforce optimization at Orlando Health, in an Aug. 27 statement.
The telesitting company, VirtuAlly, said the platform has helped reduce patient fall rates by 50-70% and lower per-unit annual expenses by almost $150,000.