University Hospitals
A New Standard for Virtual Nursing at Scale
University Hospitals partnered with Vitalchat to implement a virtual nursing model that expands clinical capacity, improves patient experience, and reduces burden on bedside staff. By deploying a Connected Care Team approach, combining virtual nurses with in-room care teams, UH was able to streamline admissions, discharges, monitoring, and patient engagement without increasing headcount.
The result is a scalable, hospital-wide model that enhances outcomes while redefining how care is delivered across the continuum.
Proven Impact At Scale
ROI
Estimated return in just 6 months from initial deployment.
Beds
Enabled with virtual care across the hospital.
Inpatient Coverage
Full hospital deployment across every patient room.
The Challenge
Healthcare systems like University Hospitals are facing increasing pressure:
Nursing shortages and burnout
Rising patient complexity and volume
Inefficient workflows pulling nurses away from bedside care
Need to improve patient experience without increasing headcount
- Traditional staffing models could not scale to meet demand.
The Solution
University Hospitals implemented Vitalchat’s virtual care platform to enable the Connected Care Team to scale virtual nursing, virtual patient observation, and additional virtual care capabilities across the system.
Key Components
Remote nurse supporting each unit
Secure, two-way video and communication across all patient rooms
Centralized virtual nursing command center
What Virtual Nurses Support
Admissions and discharges
Patient education
Continuous monitoring and observation
Pain assessments and fall prevention
Urgent interventions
Code and rapid response support
Clinical documentation support
The Approach
Clinical Evaluation & Selection
UH team consisting of Innovation teams, Nursing Leadership, and IT evaluated a number of vendors and chose to partner with Vitalchat.
Pilot
Deployed across 4 different UH hospitals and 5 different units consisting of Medical surgical Units, Intensive Care Unit, and a Pediatric Unit. A centralalized command center was developed and clinical workflows developed with and not for the bedside staff.
Implementation
Expanded virtual capability to full hospital at UH Lake West across all inpatient units and Emergency department.
System-wide Expansion
Developing plan for system wide expansion.
This isn’t just about technology, it’s about supporting every patient in every room with high-quality care and easing the burden on our caregivers.
A Blueprint for the Future of Care Delivery
University Hospitals has demonstrated that:
Virtual care can scale across entire hospitals.
Workforce challenges can be addressed and alleviated with virtual care capabilities.
Technology can enhance, not replace, human care
Transform Care On Your Terms
Vitalchat delivers a flexible virtual care platform designed to improve outcomes across the continuum, from hospital to home.
With open integrations, hardware-agnostic infrastructure, and a deeply consultative approach, we adapt to your environment, not the other way around.