Virtual Nurses Freed Up 1,700 Bedside Hours at Owensboro Health; Optum Expands Programme
Remote nurses have handled 30,000+ patient interactions, including admissions, discharges and medication checks.
Kentucky-based Owensboro Health and Optum Insight have expanded the virtual nursing programme they launched in 2024, in which remote nurses support bedside teams.
Results so far
The programme has recorded more than 30,000 patient interactions, supported 3,600 admissions and 2,000 discharges, and completed about 5,800 medication verifications. It has returned about 1,700 hours to bedside nurses, including 337 hours in July 2026 alone.
How it works
Virtual nurses work from within the hospital and handle admissions paperwork, discharge education, medication reconciliation and care coordination, leaving bedside nurses more time for direct care. Being on site also means technical problems can be fixed in person. The model also allows nurses with physical limitations to continue working with patients.
Joni Sims, Chief Nursing Officer at Owensboro Health, said the aim is to support nurses rather than replace them, given workforce shortages and rising patient demand.
Source: Digital Health News
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