Beyond the Bedside: Decoding Patient Profiles for Smarter Virtual Patient Observation.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence suggests that virtual patient observation (VPO) may help promote patient safety. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine and describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients who incurred VPO. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted. Differences in total VPO hours between groups were examined, followed by a hierarchical regression to investigate the effect of predictor variables on VPO utilization variance. RESULTS: A total of 286 patient charts were reviewed. Mean VPO hours were higher in patients with an intensive care unit admission history. Adjusted for gender and history of dementia/Alzheimer's/memory impairment, the prediction of total VPO hours increased with the patient's intensive care unit admission history and overall hospital length of stay. CONCLUSIONS: Examining the prevalence and variability in the pattern of VPO utilization by specific patient characteristics is essential for identifying what patients could best benefit from this technology.