Modern Solutions for Long-Term Virtual Care

During a time of mounting challenges, such as staffing shortages, rising costs, and limited access to specialized care, rural hospitals and clinics across the United States strive to provide high-quality healthcare. Enghouse Video’s VirtualSitter is emerging as a game-changing solution, enabling virtual long-term care that eliminates geographical limitations and improves patient outcomes.

The Crisis in Rural Healthcare

Rural healthcare faces unique challenges:

• 46 million Americans live in rural areas.
• 25% of rural residents report difficulties accessing necessary healthcare.
• There are only 39.8 physicians per 100,000 people in rural regions.
• 25% of rural hospitals are at risk of closure.

Virtual long-term care offers a way forward, addressing these systemic challenges with innovative telehealth solutions.

How Virtual Long-Term Care Transforms Healthcare Delivery

Enghouse Video’s VirtualSitter provides healthcare organizations with a scalable, flexible telehealth solution. By integrating seamlessly into existing audio and visual networks, VirtualSitter enables remote monitoring, improved collaboration, and comprehensive patient care.

1. Enhancing Patient Records and Initial Assessments

VirtualSitter allows clinicians to access comprehensive patient records, including previous notes, images, and health data. This holistic view enables:

• Faster, more informed assessments: Access critical patient history during admission.
• Improved care plans: Save and reference patient images or screenshots for ongoing care.

This efficiency ensures rural healthcare providers can deliver precise and effective care without delays.

2. Connecting Patients with Specialists

Rural patients often face financial and logistical challenges when referred to larger facilities for specialized care. VirtualSitter bridges this gap by:

• Facilitating virtual consultations with specialists regardless of location.
• Empowering collaborative care: Rural providers, specialists, and families can work together to craft the best care plans.
• Reducing travel burdens: Patients receive high-quality care while staying within their communities.

3. Around-the-Clock Patient Monitoring

Staffing shortages in rural healthcare settings stretch nurses thin, making continuous observation difficult. VirtualSitter addresses this by:

• Enabling remote observation of up to 16 patients simultaneously on a single monitor.
• Providing 24/7 monitoring to catch early signs of deterioration.
• Supporting overworked clinicians with tools that enhance care delivery without additional resources.

This capability significantly improves patient safety, particularly for high-risk cases.

Addressing the Needs of America’s Aging Population

By 2030, 20% of the U.S. population will be 65 or older. Older adults typically face complex health challenges that demand specialized care. Virtual long-term care offers solutions to meet these demands:

• Access to geriatric experts: VirtualSitter ensures high-risk elderly patients receive expert care without geographical barriers.
• Improved transitions of care: Patients are discharged only when fully prepared, reducing the risk of complications.
• Enhanced recovery: Virtual monitoring supports patients through their at-home recovery process, preventing falls and other risks.

Virtual Long-Term Care Use Cases for Elderly Patients

1. Screening & Evaluation:
   Using two-way audio-visual technology, VirtualSitter enables efficient evaluations to assess frailty, fall risks, and other high-risk attributes.
2. Treatment Collaboration:
   In cases requiring further observation, VirtualSitter allows clinicians to consult specialists, ensuring accurate diagnoses and optimal care plans.
3. Post-Discharge Monitoring:
   VirtualSitter supports patients during critical transition periods, offering continuous observation that reduces the likelihood of readmissions and injuries.

Empowering Healthcare with Enghouse’s VirtualSitter

The benefits of VirtualSitter extend beyond individual patients:

• For Providers: Alleviate staffing shortages, improve operational efficiency, and enhance care quality.
• For Patients: Ensure timely access to expert care, reduce travel burdens, and receive seamless, effective treatment.
• For Families: Gain peace of mind knowing their loved ones are monitored and cared for.

The Future of Virtual Long-Term Care

Enghouse Video’s VirtualSitter is more than a telehealth tool—it’s a transformative solution for overcoming the unique challenges of rural healthcare and long-term care. By enabling virtual long-term care, healthcare providers can break down barriers, improve outcomes, and deliver care without geographical limitations.

To learn how Enghouse Video’s VirtualSitter can revolutionize your approach to long-term care, contact us today.

[1] https://www.aha.org/system/files/media/file/2022/09/rural-hospital-closures-threaten-access-report.pdf

[2] https://www.cdc.gov/ruralhealth/about.html

[3] https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/05/21/725118232/the-struggle-to-hire-and-keep-doctors-in-rural-areas-means-patients-go-without-c

[4] https://www.ruralhealthweb.org/about-nrha/about-rural-health-care

[5] https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/state-by-state-breakdown-of-354-rural-hospitals-at-high-risk-of-closing.html

[6] https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2018/cb18-41-population-projections.html