While the idea of virtual hospitals has been around for a few years, it was during the COVID-19 pandemic that their popularity notably increased. These changes have been dubbed a “digital transformation” by HIMSS, which covered the changes in their 2022 report.
In essence, a virtual hospital is a healthcare facility that operates completely online, with no centralized physical location. Virtual hospitals may also be referred to as virtual care facilities and are a part of telehealth services.
Virtual Hospitals: What Are They?
A virtual hospital is an online doctor’s office that allows patients to consult with a medical professional in a virtual setting.
Virtual hospitals offer a convenient way for patients to:
- Receive answers about their condition in a timely manner.
- Communicate with their doctor without leaving home or work.
- Save time by not having to wait in the waiting room, driving to an appointment or filling out paperwork at an office visit.
Modern technology allows for a virtual hospital to operate almost as efficiently as a physical one. A doctor can access a patient’s medical history and review any recent tests, making sure they understand a patient’s history prior to treatment. All doctors must do is log in and talk with patients over the internet.
Patients of a virtual hospital can often choose the time and date of their appointment with more flexibility than a traditional facility, which makes it easier to schedule around a busy life. The doctors at a virtual hospital help patients with many health concerns from ailments like the flu to skin conditions.
If the patient needs additional tests or to see someone in person, the doctors can refer the patient to a specialist or other traditional facility as needed. It’s important to note that virtual hospitals do not replace a fully functioning ER, and patients with medical emergencies still benefit from going in person.
Advantages of Virtual Hospitals
The advantage for patients of virtual hospitals is that medical professionals can often provide needed care without patients having to leave their home or office. Virtual visits also have the potential to aide in the quarantine and isolation of sick individuals and avoid the spread of illness to others.
From the provider perspective, virtual hospitals help avoid high overhead costs associated with brick-and-mortar facilities like the cost of maintaining and staffing a large building or stocking medical equipment.
Staffing Advantages
Medical staff can operate with increased flexibility and mobility, which means they can provide more consistent care for patients. They can also expand their reach by offering services in harder-to-reach locations, such as rural areas or inner cities.
Considering that burnout is a growing problem in the medical field, virtual hospitals can help reduce stress by allowing doctors to work from home and avoid long commutes. They can also provide a better work-life balance for doctors, who can take care of their families while still providing valuable medical services.
Cost-Saving Measures
Virtual hospitals can eliminate much of the cost of maintaining medical equipment and utilities. Healthcare professionals can focus their efforts on patient care instead of administrative tasks as well. It makes it easier for patients to schedule and attend their appointments, which can in turn increase revenue and improve overall patient satisfaction.
Disadvantages of Virtual Hospitals
Virtual hospitals have a few disadvantages as well. One of the biggest drawbacks is that they can be difficult to scale up quickly in response to increased demand for patient care. Some medical concerns may also require specialized equipment, which may not always be available in remote locations or during an emergency. Other disadvantages include:
Limited Physical Exams
One of the biggest challenges with virtual hospitals is that they can’t offer physical exams. This means that doctors cannot see patients in person, which could make it difficult for them to accurately diagnose certain conditions. Video conferencing alleviates this to an extent, but some conditions will require a physical exam.
Security Concerns
HIPAA regulations require that all patient data is kept private and secure. It is important for virtual hospitals to have strong security measures in place, patients could be at risk of having their information stolen and used for fraudulent purposes. Additionally, compromised patient data may lead to delayed or incorrect treatment which can harm patients.
Technological Limitations
Virtual hospitals are also limited by available technology. For example, there are no CT scanners or MRI machines for a doctor to use at a virtual hospital. This can make it difficult to diagnose and treat certain conditions.
Additionally, a stable internet connection is a necessity for a virtual hospital to function. If there’s an outage, or if the connection drops in and out during an appointment, it can be frustrating for both patients and doctors. A lack of technological infrastructure, like what is seen in rural locations, can also make it difficult to manage patient records and communicate with other medical facilities.
Are Virtual Hospitals Here to Stay?
There’s no reason for virtual hospitals to compete with physical ones. Instead, virtual hospitals provide a much-needed complementary service. They can help doctors and patients who are too far away to visit the hospital in person or who simply want to avoid the hassle of traveling to appointments. They can also alleviate the foot traffic in traditional offices by handling simpler patient cases remotely.
For providers and other healthcare professionals who want to improve their healthcare technology skills and knowledge, USF Health offers 100% online graduate programs in health informatics. These include CAHIIM accredited MS in Health Informatics (MSHI) and MSHI Healthcare Analytics degrees, a Graduate Certificate in Health Informatics and a SAS Approved Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Analytics.
