Case Study: The Virtual Hospitalist

A Single-Site Implementation Bringing Hospitalist Coverage to Critical Access Hospitals.

A COVERAGE SOLUTION

The ways to which medicine is being practiced has advanced by leaps and bounds. Now the ways to which we provide medical coverage has advanced as well.

CASE STUDY BACKGROUND

On-site hospitalist care can improve patient care, but it is economically infeasible for small critical access hospitals. A telemedicine “virtual hospitalist” may expand CAH capabilities at a fractional cost of a non-site provider.

THE CASE STUDY OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact of a virtual hospitalist on transfers from a critical access hospital to an outside hospital.

THE CASE STUDY RESULTS

• Outside transfers from the E.D. decreased by 6.1%.
• The intervention was well received by the CAH staff.
• Received well by patients.

CASE STUDY CONCLUSION

The virtual hospitalist model increased the percentage of ED patients who could safely receive their care locally. A single virtual hospitalist may be able to cover multiple CAHs simultaneously.