Virtual patient in Virtual ward ??

At least you're 'in the system' and being looked out for. Pretty awful being d/c at 11.30pm. I hope they provided transport home again.

I'm still a virtual patient and get a daily phone call,and blood tests Monday and Friday. Saturdays phone call told me they weren't happy with Friday's blood tests so would I go to hospital for more bloods.This was 3.30pm.
To cut a long story short,they also did ECG and chest xray which hadn't been requested.After lying on an uncomfortable trolley for7 hours,they finally dis charged me at 11.30pm.
I have since told virtual team that no further blood tests unless blood clinic is open.
The virtual ward isn't as virtual as it should be. I am still happy I'm getting the necessary care.

I met a couple of medical students on placement at a virtual ward. They found it very interesting visiting patients in their very varied homes. Lots of practical problems of course: some rooms were too small for all the equipment needed, not enough electrical sockets, problems with cleanliness, inaccessible bathrooms at times etc etc. However, they were enjoying the challenges involved and seeing patients more relaxed than in hospital. Very long days with no breaks at times and hard to find time to eat and drink plus occasional toilet access problems. This is the staff side of the story!

BlueBelle

flippingheck and Elusivebutterfly I believe things get delivered to you they certainly did when my friends son was on a virtual ward in a hotel during Covid. that’s the only person I know who se been on a virtual ward so I can’t be sure

Obviously it wouldn’t work for everybody but if it keeps some out of hospital it’s brilliant

That would make all the difference and seems sensible. Anything that keeps people out of hospital has to be a good thing. Presumably it’s also less costly than being in in-patient.

Should get a better night sleep than on a busy hospital ward Plus not exposed to hospital bugs

flippingheck and Elusivebutterfly I believe things get delivered to you they certainly did when my friends son was on a virtual ward in a hotel during Covid. that’s the only person I know who se been on a virtual ward so I can’t be sure

Obviously it wouldn’t work for everybody but if it keeps some out of hospital it’s brilliant

My daughter has been on a virtual ward for months after being hospitalised three times due to a lung problem. She is a highly trained icu nurse and is so grateful to the hospital for the virtual ward. She can contact them with the results of various tests which she does. The consultants liaise with the sister and she has had appointments and so many tests arranged. They arranged a referral to Addenbrooks as they suspect an autoimmune problem. Both hospitals are mystified as to how she could have had a very rare form of pneumonia twice. The investigations go on but the attention she has is exemplary. All this means she is at home and yet in close contact with the hospital. She can’t praise it enough.

Our GP took over DH's medication, apart from the antibiotics, which the nurses brought. Why would you have to go back to the hospital pharmacy?

Perhaps in the future a drone could deliver medication.

It sounds a great idea overall but agree with Flippingheck concerns. My hospital is a long journey from me so, if I was ill enough for that service, I would not manage the journey. It would also be difficult to ask favours from others to do that journey for me.

Sounds like a great idea except for having to collect medication from the hospital pharmacy. I don’t have a car so if I was ill enough to need this level of care the trek to my local hospital would be impractical, though using my very local pharmacy would be possible.

Don't want to say 'Wow' as there is a Thread complaining about that,
but,
'Gosh' sounds amazing.

I think it’s a fab idea.
I hate sitting around in hospitals.

After DH's emergency admission to hospital for pneumonia before Christmas there were signs everywhere 'ask about Hospital at Home' so I did. He was discharged within hours, with a noisy oxygen concentrator on the landing, 300 feet of plastic tubing trailing down the stairs to his nose, an iPad, a sphygmomanometer, a thermometer and an oximeter. I recorded readings twice a day and submitted them in the iPad and nurses came in daily to administer iv antibiotics. His case was discussed weekly at an MDT meeting, and it worked very well. It got him out of a buggy hospital ward with some patients not in their right minds, which was very frightening when you are shouted at, your things thrown around, and you are paralysed and unable to move away.
We were not permitted a portable oxygen cylinder so we could go out, which was frustrating, but he recovered after three weeks. Much quicker than if he had remained in hospital.

My dad was discharged and was "monitored" via a Virtual ward. He was in a pilot study 12 years ago. They had specialist nurses checking in with direct access to a team who came in.
I expect lots has changed from that Pilot study but it worked well for him.

Sorry. I see you have been given numbers.

You should be given a number to contact them.

Yes. My husband was blue lighted to A&E last year with a terrible virus. On his return home he was put in the care if a virtual ward. It was fine. Great care.

Wow what a great idea. Hope if ever i need a hospital stay i could be considered for this. Only thing is if you live alone who would deal with drinks meals and bedpans if necessary!!!🤔🤔

I've never been a patient in a virtual ward, but a former neighbour was a Nurse Consultant who worked "in" a virtual ward, that was her day job. She was a brilliant nurse.

This sounds like a good idea to keep people out of hospital. Much better to be at home knowing you are being treated and help is there if needed.

It seems they have a MDT which includes a consultant, nurses and occupational therapists. Each patients case is discussed daily and further treatment decided.
It sounds good and a lot easier than being on a ward.
No mention was made of any restrictions such as going out .

They did this in some places when we were all hibernating in Covid years and it worked very well My friends son had Covid away from home and they used a virtual ward and sent him everything he needed meds and even a thermometer
I think it’s a good idea because you don’t have to be away from your home in unfamiliar surroundings but you are getting the level of care you need

I think they are brilliant. Everyone knows that people get better more quickly at home and are less at risk of catching an infection.

It used to confuse me , though, when someone who was requesting a visit from DH announced she was the virtual nurse.

And DD1 works in a virtual school. But she is real.

They have one of these wards at our hospital and I know they have a team of nurses and a Doctor that will come out to your home should they think it necessary, they can also call you in for a face to face it they think that is necessary too.