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Evaluating and embedding a respiratory virtual ward to facilitate early discharge for COPD and asthma patients in secondary care
Webb, Lisa Maritz, Nicki
Webb, Lisa
Maritz, Nicki
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Affiliation
South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust
Other Contributors
Publication date
2025-06
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Poster
Adobe PDF, 837.17 KB
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Abstract
Background
What were the challenges in establishing a virtual ward (VW)?
- Developing a service from the onset
- No additional staff resources
- Digital technology
- Identifying appropriate patients
- Changing the organisational culture
- Patient engagement and adherence
- Data collection
- Clinical buy-in and workforce
Plan, Do, Study, Act outcomes changes
- Phone call to patients twice daily up to 14 days
- Changed number of calls to once daily and patient to text in observations in the afternoon
- Initial prescription four times daily nebs for 14 days
- Return of unused nebules
- Learning was to reduce prescription to 7 days PRN (28 nebules supplied)
Conclusions
Key issues
- Changing conventional pathways
- Assessing the level of clinical risk/safety netting
- Promotion and education of the VW
- Clinical governance
- Development of SOP and IT resources.
- Interpretation of non-face-to-face health care.
- Length of stay of patients on VW
- Feedback forms – printed rather than online due to patient cohort.
- Return of equipment
Learnings
- Required monitoring equipment and consumables
- Variability of length of stay
- Psychosocial support more evident with increased length of stay
- Over prescribing of medication
- Feedback forms – online/printed
- Structure of telephone calls
- Ongoing staff engagement and update of service improvement project
- Onboarding of all stakeholders at onset
- Ineffective use of clinical staff for administrative roles
Future planning
- Development of business case
- Utilising digital technology
- Embed virtual care into clinical practice
- Presenting audit findings
Citation
Webb L, Maritz N. Evaluating and embedding a respiratory virtual ward to facilitate early discharge for COPD and asthma patients in secondary care. Poster session presented at: AstraZeneca National Respiratory Leadership Forum Conference; 2025 Jun; London, UK.
Type
Conference Output