Transformative healthcare: The virtual shift
Virtual Care, existing for over twenty years, has never been more relevant. Technological advancements and the urgent need for adaptation make it crucial in our digital age.
Statista projects that New Zealand's digital health market will grow by 5.99% annually between 2024 and 2029, reaching NZ$631.9 million (NZ$262.6 million, excluding digital fitness and wellbeing spend). This growth highlights increasing investment and reliance on digital health solutions, though many worry that funding may still be insufficient to benefit New Zealand's population.
I recently spoke at the Health Informatics New Zealand (HiNZ) conference, where it was clear that despite the challenges New Zealand is facing within its healthcare system, including plans announced by Health New Zealand to reduce its digital and data budget by $100 million, there are still many untapped opportunities, exceptionally, when you consider the myriads of ways that digital technologies can enhance both the clinician and patient experiences.
Enabling Hospital-Quality Care at Home
Virtual Care is becoming increasingly crucial in freeing up existing overstretched resources at a time when demand for these resources continues to increase exponentially. Virtual Care can help in many ways, including improving patient access to specialists, improving continuity of Care, and supporting greater patient engagement, especially when managing chronic conditions. All these benefits are there to be realised, and that's before we even get to what is fast becoming the dreaded 'elephant in the room' – cost!
On a more serious note, we recognise that the pressure to do more with less is front of mind for many healthcare operators and practitioners. We can learn much from others making the virtual shift to deliver more sustainable healthcare within their organisations.
Mackay Base Hospital Introduces a Virtual Practice
Understanding the potential impact of virtual healthcare can be challenging when looking at technology solutions and statistics alone. A proven example is Mackay Base Hospital in Queensland, which adopted Telstra Health's Virtual Care Technology for its Care in the Right Setting, Hospital in the Home (HiTH) program. The program combines home visits with telehealth and virtual monitoring using Bluetooth-enabled medical devices with a patient app to record vital sign data.
The program includes home visits from the nurse and allied health team, telehealth consultations with a Senior Medical Officer, and Bluetooth-enabled medical devices with a patient app to record vital sign data. The information they can receive from a patient daily includes observations such as blood glucose, blood pressure, temperature, weight and oxygen levels, and health check questionnaire responses.
Aimed at improving care delivery, reducing hospital stays, and optimising clinical resources, Mackay Base Hospital benefits from increased capacity[1], leading to shorter wait times and has seen a 51% reduction in hospital readmission risk – 43% down to 21%. Not only that, there has been a significant reduction in length of stay, previously 7.2 days per patient, which has been reduced to 4.0 days and a 73% reduction in risk of hospital readmission within 28 days for the same diagnosis group – 18% down to 4%.
On average, the hospital is saving NZ$3,698 per admission, and the model is cost-effective and is not constrained to time limits. Therefore, patients can be seen in review clinics for ongoing, sustainable Care. Patients who participate in the telehealth model also benefit from end-to-end Care.
At a community level, other customers, including Goondir Health Services, also see the benefits of virtual care.
Managing Chronic Conditions and Reducing Patient Admissions at Goondir Health Services
Goondir Health Services faced the challenge of effectively managing chronic conditions among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, with 53% of regular patients having at least one chronic illness, necessitating remote health monitoring solutions due to barriers like travel constraints.
Patients participating in the Goondir program are assessed for their suitability for the program. Clear guidelines for identifying and referring those who most benefit from the program have been developed and implemented. Those who join the program receive training and ongoing support to safely use the medical device equipment and the patient app at home.
The adoption of Virtual Care Technology at Goondir Health Services has significantly improved patient-centred Care by removing barriers to accessing healthcare, enhancing clinical decision-making with remote monitoring capabilities, and promoting patient engagement in their health journey, resulting in better health outcomes and reduced hospital admissions among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
The Future Looks Bright
Incorporating virtual Care into existing or new models of Care involves many considerations, but the rewards for patients are too significant to ignore.
The future of virtual Care will drive substantial changes in healthcare delivery, empowering patient self-care. We also anticipate advancements in virtual Care to continue and, in time, may incorporate predictive analytics to determine the appropriate patients for the program. Additionally, as AI and camera technology improve, remote wound monitoring will become a standard offering to ensure patients recover at home with a suitable monitored care plan.
Integrating virtual Care enhances patient care and delivers cost savings, making it ideal for New Zealand's health systems facing rising costs and capacity constraints. Getting the basics right can improve patient care, reduce staff pressure, and lay a foundation for ongoing innovation.
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[1] Published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Health Management (volume 18, issue 3).
