The NHS and virtual wards: A vision and reality

Virtual wards are a new, innovative operating model for healthcare designed to help safely manage medical needs at home. With a smart, integrated approach that combines face-to-face contact with virtual environments, virtual wards can be the next leap forward for connected, efficient healthcare

A way to decrease pressure

An ageing population, cost limitations, and a large patient backlog have led to many patients occupying beds unnecessarily, with few alternative options for managing their care. IT transformation and the opportunity to digitalise elements of interactive care could offer a route to reducing the strain on doctors, patients, and operations.

Virtual wards enable valuable hospital beds to be freed up for critical care, significantly improving the patient experience and driving better patient outcomes. By helping clinicians manage patient care and ongoing treatment remotely, virtual wards allow patients to remain at home.

These wards can enable remote monitoring, communication, and management of healthcare, in combination with regular face-to-face contact. This pragmatic approach can broaden access to quality healthcare and give patients the care they need, where they want it.

A scalable solution

Virtual wards require sophisticated measurement and communication technologies to be integrated in real time at the point of delivery. With a combination of new infrastructure, monitoring technology, continuous two-way engagement, and regular face-to-face touchpoints, virtual wards transform how technology is applied to healthcare, delivering better experiences and increasing agility.

Building blocks of success

For virtual wards to work, hospitals need the right blend of technology and data to connect patient experiences with clinical expertise. From internet of things (IoT)-enabled diagnostic equipment to walking frames and bed pans, there’s a lot of simple yet essential equipment required.

Hospitals must have a clear, up-to-date view of their inventory and which patients are using supplies or equipment in their homes. Visibility is also crucial for monitoring repairs or replacements.

Two-way communication is key. This can help automatically direct patient enquiries to the right person, as well as assist in analysing and prioritising in real time to enable patients to self-serve and accelerate resolutions.

Efficiency will rely on optimising the scheduling and orchestration of visits, with a succinct view of information that adapts to the patient’s situation drawn from multiple systems. It’s imperative to implement a reliable, scalable digital foundation that can reduce the complexity of patient journeys to coordinate care across virtual and real-life environments.

Building a solution

ServiceNow has partnered with the NHS to deliver better experiences and efficiency through digital transformation. Virtual wards are the next step forward as we seek to create a streamlined NHS, with reduced pressure on staff and patients alike.
Discover how ServiceNow is supporting the NHS to deliver patient services with more agility and connections.