A Look at Promising Outcomes
On Friday, September 15, KLAS, a leading provider of research and data statements, released its vendor report on virtual patient observation solutions.
The report identifies the benefits virtual observation companies offer clinicians in various healthcare settings and specific measurables based on respondent information.
Specifications
“Each year, KLAS interviews thousands of healthcare professionals about the IT solutions and services their organizations use. For this report, interviews were conducted over the last 12 months using KLAS’ standard quantitative evaluation for healthcare software, composed of 16 numeric rating questions and 4 yes/no questions, all weighted equally. Combined, the ratings for these questions make up the overall performance score, which is measured on a 100-point scale. The questions are organized into six customer experience pillars—culture, loyalty, operations, product, relationship, and value.”—Report Information
Beneath the umbrella of each pillar were standard software evaluation metrics:
Culture
- Keeps all promises
- Proactive service
- Product works as promoted
Loyalty
- Forecasted satisfaction
- Likely to recommend
- Overall satisfaction
- Part of long-term plans
- Would you buy again
Operations
- Ease of use
- Quality of implementation
- Quality of training
Product
- Delivery of new technology
- Overall product quality
- Product has needed functionality
- Supports integration goals
Relationship
- Executive involvement
- Quality of phone/web support
Value
- Avoids charging for every little thing
- Drives tangible outcomes
- Money’s worth
In addition, customers were asked about the impact the solution has had on staffing shortages and if it was used for sitting, nursing, or both—to supplement customer satisfaction data. Sample sizes were displayed in the report to denote the number of unique customer organizations interviewed, and several different individuals within each organization were surveyed.
Market Definitions Presented In The Report
Virtual Sitting: Software that allows healthcare organizations to observe patients, prevent adverse events that would have negative clinical and financial impacts, and scale patient observation capacity to a 1:many sitter-to-patient ratio. Technology includes in-room video
and audio hardware; cameras can be permanent room installations or portable carts.
Virtual Nursing: Software that allows remote nurses to perform knowledge-based nursing tasks—such as discharge planning or documentation—to aid bedside nurses. Technology includes in-room video and audio hardware; cameras can be permanent room installations
or portable carts.
Report Conclusions Overview
Collette Health Survey Findings
At A Glance
Collette Health has 151 live unique customers utilizing its virtual sitting/nursing solution. The respondents’ average number of years within the organization was 0-2 years. Of the types of observing utilized, 91% require virtual observing, with 9% needing both virtual observing and virtual nursing. Collette Health organization sizes are made up of 27% large (501+ beds), 36% midsize (201-500 beds), and 38% small (1-200 beds).
Value
A score of 7.8 on a 1-9 scale in both drives tangible outcomes and money’s worth, and scored 100% in avoids charging for every little thing.
Relationship
A score of 8.5 in phone/web support quality and 7.5 in the product has needed functionality.
Loyalty
A score of 98% on the part of long-term plans
“Very few respondents plan to replace their virtual sitting and nursing solution, with the percentage of respondents planning to stay with their solution being well above average. Respondents see enough outcomes to continue with their solution, and many organizations have new and maturing solutions. The number of organizations that plan to replace solutions may change as more solutions mature and the market becomes more competitive.”
Impact On Staffing Shortages A score of 59% on very positive impact, a score of 28% on moderately positive impact, a score of 13% on neutral impact
“Respondents overwhelmingly agree that their solutions have helped address staffing shortages. Organizations have increased their observation capacity from a 1:1 sitter-to-patient ratio so that one sitter can observe several patients. This has helped free up skilled clinical staff assigned to sitting roles, allowing them to apply their skills and expertise more meaningfully elsewhere.”
Overall Vendor Performance
Performance was identified as above average, with no dissatisfaction reported in early data. Customers noted the solution is ideal for observing patient movements such as falls.
“Respondent organizations using Collette Health* (formerly MedSitter) vary in size, and most use the solution for only virtual sitting. Customers highly value the vendor’s strong relationships and helpful, responsive support; ongoing support is especially crucial, as technological issues directly impact organizations’ ability to observe patients. The most frequently mentioned outcomes are reduced patient falls and the ability to circumnavigate staffing shortages and costs that come with 1:1 sitter-to-patient virtual sitting.”
Respondent Advice For Peers
“To be successful with your virtual sitting and nursing program (regardless of what vendor you
use), get buy-in from clinical staff, and establish strong education and support for users.”
“Understanding your current staff bandwidth and the bandwidth required for a virtual sitting and nursing program is critical. Include IT in plans to ensure bandwidth requirements are met.”
How AI Fits In
“KLAS asked respondents about how they are using AI in this market. However, respondents report low awareness of AI features in their solutions.” —Vendor Report
As seen in the report, AI is a relatively recent component in healthcare for many individuals. Possibly, there is a delay in comprehension that AI is already immersed in HIT (healthcare information technology). The technology improves patient and clinician outcomes in communication and staffing challenges.
While staff shortages and burnout have commonly existed, hospitals and other healthcare facilities now face overstretched resources due to the nation’s rapidly aging baby boomer populations, soaring healthcare costs, government regulations, and the post-global pandemic environment that has affected all those items and more. It is projected that by 2027,[1] more than 600,000 nurses may leave their profession. However, burnout is a dire reality for those who choose to stay and can point to lower patient satisfaction rates. When nursing departments are understaffed, not only are call lights left on for extended periods, but individuals become anxious due to not having their calls answered by the nurse as soon as they’d like. This can contribute to patient dissatisfaction. Long hours and insufficient resources are already stretching nursing staff thin. Overtired nurses doing more than their share to keep up can also be a risk to patient safety. Even in adequately staffed facilities, 80% of inpatient falls can go unnoticed. A single incident costs an average of up to $14,000. As an industry where prevention counts, healthcare is currently standing on a particularly unsteady plane.
The development and continuance of AI in healthcare is crucial to lessening clinician shortage and nurse-patient communication hindrances, thus creating better patient outcomes.
AI models are predicted to assist in narrowed, personalized care for individual patients in a way that can provide specific treatment to cater to genetic history, background, lifestyle, and environment. Experts say that legislation surrounding healthcare information technology AI will also improve to accommodate the vast amount of data continuing to be created and housed by healthcare organizations and that those models will be developed with guidelines and inaccuracy mechanisms to follow regulations to prevent ethical concerns. AI models are anticipated to soon have the capacity for decreasing and removing discrepancies within health systems. AI is shaping to be the answer for more efficient and accurate care, secure data, patient record efficiency, detail, and cost-effectiveness. It is estimated that by 2026, AI applications will cut U.S. healthcare costs by $150 billion.[2]
AI presents solutions for multiple obstacles in light of the current healthcare environment:
Digital literacy imbalances
Health literacy impediments
Language barriers
Barriers to patient electronic health records
Diagnoses serving<
Patient falls<
Other communication barriers
The development and continuance of AI in healthcare is key to lessening clinician shortage and nurse-patient communication hurdles, thus creating better outcomes for clinicians and patients.
To learn more about KLAS’ virtual vendor report, download the white paper.
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6616181/
[2] https://venturebeat.com/ai/6-healthcare-ai-predictions-for-2023/