This Q&A highlights an interview with Tammy Cress, MSN, RN, Vice President, Clinical Solutions & Innovation for Hospitals & Health Systems at Teladoc Health.
As technology evolves and care delivery demands grow, hospitals and health systems are increasingly leaning into the power of inpatient virtual nursing to improve processes, support patients and balance key operational functions. Hear the perspective of Teladoc Health’s Vice President, Clinical Solutions & Innovation for Hospitals & Health Systems, Tammy Cress, as she explores this rapidly changing landscape, what hospitals and health systems need to be considering and what lies ahead for virtual nursing.
Q: How did the need for virtual nursing emerge, and is it still relevant today?
Short answer: staffing. There was a survey completed in March of 2022 that revealed the top concerns for hospital executives are workforce shortages and rising costs. In that same survey, 94% of these executives said that their greatest area of concern for shortages is nursing. Before that was the “great quit” in healthcare in 2021, so these concerns are neither new nor going away. Because of this, we see healthcare leaders actively exploring innovative care delivery methods to address these challenges and to improve their market position, while keeping quality of care front and center. In fact, a recent survey found that inpatient virtual nursing will be the highest-growth area for new telehealth services rollouts in 2023.
Q: What are some of the most innovative uses of virtual nursing you see being used today?
Organizations usually take one of two approaches to start a virtual nursing program: the first and most common is the redesign of workflows to incorporate telehealth into daily care delivery. The second is the redesign of the bedside staffing mix and inserting a virtual nurse to oversee the bedside team. In both these scenarios we see wonderful results, including faster discharges, more efficient rounding and the opportunity to mentor less experienced staff. We see virtual nursing as an innovative redesign of care delivery—a great first step of transforming how organizations provide care by blending in-person and virtual care for increased success.
Q: What would you say are the most important features for hospitals and health systems to look for when implementing virtual nursing?
The top influencing factors in healthcare today are workforce staffing and challenging financial circumstances. We also know that the approaches taken during COVID-19 to try to keep nursing units open are not sustainable and that health systems are actively exploring new and more aggressive strategies to address these issues. Here are my suggestions:
- Sustainability and scalability are key. Look for a partner who can grow with you and your needs.
- Future-proof your virtual solution. Nursing might be front and center at the moment, but all departments are being affected. Allow ALL providers to virtualize their care when needed.
- Start the work now. Connect with industry experts on this, and your colleagues who have already started this journey.
Hear the full interview here.
Learn more how Teladoc Health is helping hospitals transform how care is delivered. Get resources like our Virtual Nursing white paper, webinars and published articles.
Tammy Cress, MSN, RN has a demonstrated record of leading strategy, operations and transformative initiatives with deep telehealth subject matter expertise across inpatient care solutions. Cress completed her undergraduate education at the University of Maryland and a Master of Science in Nursing from Seattle Pacific University.
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1Kayser, A. 2022. “Nurse deficit could reach 2.1 million by 2025, study finds.” Becker’s Hospital Review. September 15, 2022. https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/workforce/nurse-deficit-could-reach-2-1-million-by-2025-study-finds.html
2Healthdata.gov. “COVID-19 Reported Patient Impact and Hospital Capacity.” January 2022. https://healthdata.gov/Hospital/COVID-19-Reported-Patient-Impact-and-Hospital-Capa/g62h-syeh/data
3Galvin, G. 2021. “‘A Sinking Ship’: Pandemic’s Mental Health Toll Continues to Roil Health Care Workers.” October 4, 2021. https://morningconsult.com/2021/10/04/health-care-workers-burnout/