Mercy Fitzgerald advances nursing practice with new TogetherTeam Virtual Connected Care Model

Innovative care delivery model making inroads into the challenges posed by the workforce crisis while enhancing patient satisfaction and increasing employee engagement.

Darby, Pa. — (September 12, 2024) — Addressing the nursing workforce crisis remains a critical challenge for health systems, with a predicted shortage of 9 million nurses worldwide by 2030. Trinity Health, one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit Catholic health systems, has been rolling out TogetherTeam Virtual Connected Care, a first-of-its-kind care delivery model, to address these challenges, improve care delivery, increase job satisfaction and create career pathways for nurses at any stage of their careers.

This past June, TogetherTeam Virtual Connected Care successfully launched at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital. The program has made an immediate positive impact; enhancing patient satisfaction and increasing employee engagement throughout the three separate units where the program is now operational.

TogetherTeam Virtual Connected Care is a true team approach to patient-centered care, using technology to support direct-care staff and increase patient interaction. Patients receiving care through this delivery model can expect to be treated by a direct-care registered nurse, an onsite nursing assistant or LPN, and a registered nurse who remotes into the patient’s room virtually. The team functions as a cohesive and highly connected unit to deliver comprehensive care.

"The TogetherTeam Virtual Connected Care model has taken our ability to provide outstanding patient care to a whole new level. It’s truly a win-win situation, resulting in better outcomes and an enhanced patient experience," says Amy Nauss, MSN, RN, interim chief nursing officer at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital. “Our patients who have shown great interest in the new model recognize and appreciate that they are receiving added attention, while our nurses value the extra support that the program affords in the delivery of care.”

The Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital virtual nurses, who are located onsite as opposed to in an off-site call center, have access to complete medical records and even the ability to perform detailed examinations via advanced camera technology. The presence of an experienced virtual nurse also provides invaluable mentoring and support to the direct-care nurses, especially those who are new graduates.

As an added benefit, many administrative duties such as patient education and the discharge process can now be handled and even improved by the care team’s virtual nurse. By building these critical yet time-consuming administrative functions into the virtual nurse role, the direct-care team is able to spend more time with the patient at the bedside, while the virtual nurse dedicates focused attention to the preparation and review of the patient’s discharge packet.

"This innovative care delivery model supports nurses doing what they love most; working at the top of their license to provide excellent professional care to their patients,” says Kristin Sheridan, RN, one of the virtual nurses at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital. “By harnessing the power of technology, our nurses also have the opportunity for career extension. Those who might no longer be able to care for patients at the bedside are still able to apply their knowledge and expertise through a virtual role.”

The model serves as a key market differentiator that addresses the nursing workforce crisis head-on. Moreover, it accommodates caregivers at various stages of their careers, providing a stable and predictable working environment, and helps to build a strong pipeline of caregivers to meet future health care needs.

“The complexity of care has changed,” says Anne Wallace, RN, nurse manager at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital. “The TogetherTeam Virtual Connected Care program allows our team to do more in real time for each individual patient, bolstering safety measures, preventing readmissions and enhancing the overall patient experience.”

Learn more about the Virtual Connected Care program at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital.