The Impact of Remote Video Monitoring on Costs and Patient Outcomes

Abstract

Background: Reducing patient falls remains a challenge for many acute care hospitals. Sitters (1:1 observation) are often utilized as an intervention to mitigate this. This costly intervention has drained both personnel and financial resources, forcing hospitals to find less costly alternatives to achieve the same safety outcomes. Remote video monitoring technology (RVM) is an innovative technology that supports the monitoring of multiple patients by one observer from a remote location and is an effective alternative in reducing patient falls and/or injury and associated costs. Aim: The goal of this evidence-based practice initiative was to evaluate the effectiveness of RVM compared to standard care (1:1 observation) on the following outcomes: patient falls, sitter utilization, sitter costs, patient satisfaction, and staff satisfaction. Methods: This evidence-based practice initiative was conducted on adult non-suicidal, verbally directable patients across two medical-surgical units in a large academic medical center. A pre/post-study design was used to compare data on patient falls, sitter utilization, sitter costs, patient satisfaction, and staff satisfaction before and after RVM implementation on two inpatient hospital units. Results: There was an 18% decrease in patient falls across both units after RVM implementation. After RVM implementation, there was a statistically significant decrease in both the mean total number of combined sitter hours and combined sitter dollars (t (4) =2.517, p=.033), with a 45% decrease in sitter hours and a 45% decrease in sitter dollars across both units. Additionally, mean staff satisfaction ratings were significantly higher post-implementation compared to pre-implementation (p\u3c.05). This technology did not impact patient satisfaction scores. Conclusion: Utilizing RVM as an alternative to 1:1 observation can improve patient safety by potentially decreasing patient falls, decreasing sitter utilization and costs, and improving staff satisfactio