Providence Alaska Medical Center Tests Virtual Care Model, Announces Hospice Partner
Providence Alaska Medical Center (PAMC) recently launched a new way of caring for patients that combines bedside nursing with a virtual or remote nurse and a dedicated patient care technician or certified nursing assistant. Known as co-caring or virtual nursing, the bedside nurse manages direct patient-care duties while the virtual nurse coordinates other support tasks.
Also this month, the Washington-based not-for-profit healthcare system that operates PAMC announced it will partner with Compassus, a leading national provider of integrated home-based care services, to form Providence at Home with Compassus, delivering home health, hospice, community-based palliative care, and private duty caregiving services.
Co-Caring Model Leverages Skilled Nurses
Virtual nursing is a response to a strained labor market. A study by the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis shows Alaska is projected to lead the nation in nursing vacancies, with as many as 23 percent of openings unfilled, by 2030. The co-caring model helps address the impending shortage while providing added patient care, Providence officials say.
“With this care model, we have more caregivers supporting the care of each patient. We’re also relieving the bedside nurse of tasks that can be handled by the virtual nurse, freeing up the bedside nurse to focus on other patient needs,” says Carrie Peluso, chief nursing officer at PAMC. “We are embracing innovative technology to provide the best care possible while addressing the ongoing nurse shortage that is projected to continue for years to come.”
The virtual nurses provide patient care via in-room audio and video technology, handling tasks that don’t require a bedside presence, such as discharge planning, medication management, and patient education. Virtual nurses working at PAMC must be licensed by the Alaska Board of Nursing. Nurses who provide care virtually also have the same job description and requirements as other nurses working in the unit.
PAMC began using co-caring/virtual nursing on October 8 in two patient care areas. This gradual approach is meant to give nurses time to become familiar with the team-based model.
Although still relatively new at PAMC, virtual nurses are already making a positive impact in their units. Virtual nurses are connecting with patients’ family members to provide updates, helping patients order food from the hospital cafeteria and working with bedside nurses to prepare patients to leave the hospital.
“We are still in the early stages of using co-caring and virtual nurses at Providence Alaska Medical Center, and we are already seeing positive results,” Peluso says. “As more senior nurses reach retirement and demand for healthcare services increase, we have to think outside the box to meet the needs of our community. Fortunately, Providence is investing in solutions to bridge the gap and provide Alaskans high-quality care close to home.”
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The team-based model of care has been implemented at other hospitals around the country, including treatment centers within the Providence family of organizations, most recently at Providence St. Peter Medical Center in Olympia, Washington.
Compassus Joint Venture Expands Home Care
Providence at Home with Compassus covers twenty-four home health locations in Alaska, California, Oregon, and Washington, and seventeen hospice and palliative care locations in Alaska, California, Oregon, Texas, and Washington.
Recognizing a growing need to treat seniors, Providence officials sought an affordable and compassionate partner with Compassus.
“Serving people in their home, many of whom are at their most vulnerable, is sacred work and a deeply held part of the Providence mission. As our communities age, we have been thoughtfully evaluating how to best meet the growing need for these services,” explains Terri Warren, Providence chief of community services. “Compassus shares our commitment to these services and will enable us to expand access to care in the comfort of home.”
Demand for these services will only continue to grow as the population ages. At the same time, the cost of providing care remains on the rise, with pharmaceuticals, medical supplies, and the national shortage of healthcare professionals continuing to drive up expenses. To ensure continuing affordability for patients and communities while expanding access to these services, Providence chose this joint venture because Compassus brings a proven track record for high-quality home-based care.
“Compassus has experience partnering with forward-looking nonprofit health systems to leverage combined strengths and resources to deliver high-quality home-based care in more communities,” says Compassus CEO Mike Asselta. “Coupling our operational expertise with Providence’s rich history of impactful collaboration, we will extend compassionate, person-centered care to support more patients and families and allow people to receive care where they live whenever possible.”
The joint venture is subject to regulatory review, but the agreement announced October 23 formalizes the intent of both parties to move forward with the transition and integration.