Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1341133
29 Executive Briefing What's good for patients is good for healthcare organizations So where should hospitals invest? I strongly believe that services that meet patient needs with convenience and accessibility will always win in the end. Telehealth is an instructive example. Health systems that adopted virtual care early did so because these services make sense for patients. They trusted that the dollars would follow if they improved access and provided value to the community. The pandemic proved them right, allowing them to virtually carry on many of their operations while their less nimble competitors floundered. Telerounding While the idea of a hospital or emergency room making home visits might seem strange, forward-thinking health systems are already bringing these ideas to life. For example, some hospitalists are discharging stable patients as "inpatients" and rounding on them at home. Mobile care teams bring services like infusion, labs, imaging and nursing care directly to the patient. A growing body of research suggests that this "hospital at home" concept is safe, effective and highly satisfying for patients with certain diagnoses. Telenavigation Because virtual care can be a confusing concept for patients, some health systems are using telenavigation to move them seamlessly through the process. In addition to helping patients schedule follow-up appointments, navigators assist with basic needs like medication and food delivery and transportation. Some hospitals and urgent care centers have also implemented "virtual front doors" to help patients choose the most appropriate care setting before leaving home. Care team integration Finally, while our hospitals physical footprints will likely shrink over coming decades, our sickest patients will always require inpatient care. I expect we'll therefore see our hospitals gradually evolve into superacute facilities — essentially critical care units equipped with EDs. At the same time, our outpatient offices and clinics might coalesce into larger care centers with broader capabilities. For example, a combined primary and urgent care clinic linked with virtual home care allows for convenience of care, options for higher-touch needs, and the opportunity to scale. And ideally, we'll see integration between inpatient and outpatient settings, with specialists treating patients in both locations. Conclusion In the past twelve months, our industry has made enormous strides in creating the hospital of the future. To continue this positive evolution, we need to keep focused on what's best for patients so we can deliver the quality care they expect and deserve. We also need to ensure that virtual care models are integrated with more traditional methods to ensure continuity of care and a well-coordinated and positive patient experience. While paradigms never shift smoothly, our efforts will pay off in the form of an agile, responsive healthcare system that meets the needs of 21st-century consumers. Continue the conversation at vituity.com/caredelivery About the author Theo Koury, MD, is president of Vituity. He is also a practicing emergency physician at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, Calif. In his role as president, Dr. Koury is responsible for managing enterprise risk, resources and infrastructure necessary to achieve Vituity's mission of empowering healthcare providers to deliver exceptional care across more than 450 practice locations nationwide. n For nearly 50 years, Vituity has been a catalyst for positive change in healthcare. As a physician-led and -owned multispecialty partnership, our 5,000 doctors and clinicians care for nearly 8 million patients each year across 450 practice locations and nine acute care specialties.