In this webinar, we’ll explore how to maximize the value of your investment through our partner APIs and integrations. We’ll also examine how expanding use cases with a single vendor can enhance your virtual care strategy. Learn about the many platform and client experience enhancements we’re focusing on to ensure you’re getting the most out of your virtual care investment.
The integration of virtual care and artificial intelligence (AI) into the standard care delivery model is permanently reshaping nursing practice. This leads to the pivotal question: How do we best prepare the next generation of nurses to thrive in this environment?
Let’s discuss how innovative technologies are being integrated into nursing curricula, the transition from education to clinical practice, and leadership strategies to foster resilience and innovation within nursing teams.
Interested in listening in on the discussion? Check out the webinar here: Educating Nurses for the Age of AI and Virtual Care
It’s no longer optional for Academic institutions to adapt to the rise of virtual care, it’s a necessity. Universities such as Chamberlain University, the nation’s largest nursing school, have implemented virtual nursing courses and certifications to better prepare students for the new care delivery model they’ll see in practice. President of Chamberlain University, Dr. Karen Cox, confirms that the traditional nursing education model needs to evolve rapidly to incorporate digital competencies, ensuring that new graduates are proficient in virtual patient care technologies.
“Chamberlain’s approach allows us to be more nimble compared to traditional academic settings, ensuring students are prepared for real-world challenges.” – Dr. Karen Cox
The transition from school to practice is a critical time for new nurses, and health care organizations like Community Health Systems (CHS) are integrating virtual care into their onboarding programs. Karen Henson, Corporate Vice President of Nursing Operations at CHS, suggests that facilities build virtual care competencies from day one. Workforce challenges today differ significantly from those a decade ago and organizations need to be adaptable to survive.
“The challenges facing new grads today—like adapting to technology-driven care models—were not issues 5-10 years ago. We have to ensure they feel supported and competent in this new environment.” – Karen Henson
As virtual care adoption grows, nurse leaders play a pivotal role in shaping policy, accreditation, and workplace culture. Cole Edmonson, CEO of the Nurses on Boards Coalition, emphasizes the importance of leadership advocacy in removing barriers to virtual care implementation. From influencing accreditation standards to creating supportive environments for new nurses, nurse leaders must actively participate in shaping the future of nursing.
“Accreditation standards must evolve alongside nursing practice. Leaders have a responsibility to push for policies that facilitate, rather than hinder, virtual care adoption.” – Cole Edmonson
Nursing leaders, educators and healthcare organizations must collaborate in preparing the next generation of nurses for an AI-driven, virtual care-centric future. As healthcare continues to evolve, fostering a tech-savvy, adaptable nursing workforce will be essential for ensuring high-quality patient care.
AvaSure is committed to keeping this important conversation going, that’s why we create a community of virtual care leaders and bring them together to discuss the pressing issues of healthcare transformation. Join us at the Annual AvaSure Symposium to be a part of the discussion and work with us on bridging the gap between nursing education and practice in the era of virtual care.
As virtual care becomes a permanent fixture in healthcare, organizations must rethink leadership structures to ensure seamless integration across the continuum. Traditional models often struggle to support the cross-functional collaboration required for virtual care success.
In this webinar, clinical executives and industry leaders discuss how forward-thinking organizations are evolving their leadership frameworks – bridging IT, nursing, physician, and operational teams – to drive sustainable virtual care models.
Learn how to structure leadership for long-term virtual care success while addressing challenges such as workforce engagement and technology adoption. Watch now on demand!
BELMONT, Mich., March 4th, 2025 – AvaSure, a market leader in acute virtual care, is proud to announce the launch of its new Virtual Care AssistantTM. Developed leveraging advanced technology from Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) and NVIDIA, this innovative solution is designed to improve patient care, streamline clinical workflows, and enhance operational efficiency within hospitals and healthcare systems.
The Virtual Care Assistant, powered by AI, is a transformative tool designed to bridge gaps in communication, prioritize urgent patient needs, and support healthcare teams in delivering timely, high-quality care. This innovation leverages the power of AvaSure’s Intelligent Virtual Care Platform, OCI’s AI infrastructure offerings—including OCI Compute—and NVIDIA full-stack hardware and software tools, including NVIDIA Riva and NVIDIA ACE, as part of the NVIDIA AI Enterprise software platform.
Transforming Patient Care and Clinical Workflows
Hospitals and healthcare systems are under constant pressure to balance patient care with operational demands. Patients often struggle to get timely responses to their needs and clinical staff face overwhelming workloads. The AvaSure Virtual Care Assistant addresses these challenges by enabling patients to directly request assistance virtually, while on the back end helping healthcare providers quickly assess and prioritize those clinical and operational needs.
The AvaSure Virtual Care AssistantTM appears to the patient as an avatar named “Vicky,” but is also an intelligent, AI-driven tool that efficiently triages that patient’s question, need or request based on urgency and importance. Requests are categorized into clinical and operational groups, and the assistant ensures they are directed to the appropriate personnel or team. For example, a patient reporting chest pain is flagged as urgent and immediately routed to the on-floor clinical team, while a request to adjust room temperature is categorized as operational and directed to the maintenance team. All requests are centralized into a dashboard that is centrally managed, allowing hospitals to allocate resources effectively and respond to patient needs promptly.
Driving Breakthrough Innovation with Industry Leaders
“The future of healthcare demands smart, responsive solutions that not only assist clinicians but also improve the patient experience,” said Adam McMullin, CEO of AvaSure. The AvaSure Virtual Care Assistant is our response to the growing needs of hospitals and healthcare teams—enabling a more efficient, organized, and compassionate care environment. By combining the power of AvaSure’s Virtual Care Platform with OCI and the NVIDIA accelerated computing platform, we are delivering a transformative tool that not only empowers healthcare providers to tackle today’s challenges but also sets a new standard for the future of care delivery.”
“We’re committed to helping AvaSure and other organizations improve patient care with AI and cloud infrastructure,” said Mahesh Thiagarajan, executive vice president, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. “With OCI AI infrastructure, AvaSure will be able to speed up clinical workflows while leveraging OCI’s full-stack protection that is secure by design to accelerate innovation in care delivery.”
“AI is transforming healthcare by enabling smarter workflows that enhance both staff and patient experiences,” said Brad Genereaux, global lead for healthcare alliances at NVIDIA. “With NVIDIA technologies—ACE, Riva, and generative AI—integrated into AvaSure’s Virtual Care Assistant, we empower clinicians with real-time support, allowing them to focus on patient care. This represents a crucial step toward AI-driven virtual care that improves outcomes and enhances the experiences of healthcare providers.”
“We’ve spent countless hours listening to and observing patients, caregivers, and clinical staff to truly understand their unique needs,” said Brad Smith, Principal Product Manager of AI Strategy at AvaSure. “This deep collaboration has allowed us to build a virtual assistant that goes beyond simply responding to requests—it provides critical decision support, helping prioritize what matters most. By leveraging the power of AI, we are enhancing clinical workflows and improving patient care, creating a more supportive and efficient healthcare environment for all.”
The AvaSure Virtual Care Assistant is anticipated to be commercially available in late 2025 and is currently accessible to select development partners, providing hospitals and health systems with a powerful tool to transform patient care.
For more information, visit AvaSure at HIMSS booth 4672 to meet Vicky, the Virtual Care Assistant.
About AvaSure
AvaSure® is an intelligent virtual care platform that healthcare providers use to engage with patients, optimize staffing, and seamlessly blend remote and in-person care at scale. The platform deploys AI-powered virtual sitting and virtual nursing solutions, meets the highest enterprise IT standards, and drives measurable outcomes with support from care experts. AvaSure consistently delivers a 6x ROI and has been recognized by KLAS Research as the #1 solution for reducing the cost of care. With a team of 15% nurses, AvaSure is a trusted partner of 1,100+ hospitals with experience in over 5,000 deployments. To learn more, visit www.avasure.com.
AvaSure Media Contact:
Rachel Ford Hutman
301-801-5540
Rachel@fordhutmanmedia.com
New AI technology, new device capabilities and more – 2025 has had an exciting start at AvaSure. Learn about the many platform and client experience enhancements we’re focusing on to ensure you’re getting the most out of your virtual care investment.
Nurses play a foundational role in advancing the health of society, yet their voices are often underrepresented in governance, technology, and policy decision-making. This webinar highlights why having nurses “at the table” is essential for shaping a healthcare landscape that prioritizes equity, innovation, and meaningful outcomes.
Join Dr. Sharon Pappas, CNE of Emory Healthcare and author of Insights on Excellence; A Guide to the Commission on Magnet as it Considers the Future, and Dr. Cole Edmonson, CEO of Nurses on Boards Coalition, as they share actionable strategies and recommendations. Together, they will explore how leadership, innovation, and influence are redefining nursing’s role in healthcare and society.
Panelists:
These were some takeaways from our most popular session at Symposium 2024! The live session highlighted Regina Foley, EVP and Chief Nurse Executive at Hackensack Meridian Health, and Dr. Nick Patel, CEO of Stealth Consulting, highlighting how clinical & IT teams can partner together.
Virtual care is rapidly changing the healthcare landscape, offering innovative solutions to age-old challenges. But successful implementation requires a strong partnership between IT and clinical leaders.
Two healthcare leaders who exemplify the gold standard of this partnership are Regina Foley, EVP and Chief Nurse Executive at Hackensack Meridian Health, and Dr. Nick Patel, CEO of Stealth Consulting.
Here are five of their recommended best practices for seamless collaboration:
Bonus Tip: Don’t be afraid to learn from others! Network with colleagues, attend conferences, and share best practices to accelerate your virtual care program.
By following these guidelines, IT and clinical leaders can forge a powerful partnership that drives innovation, improves patient outcomes, and transforms the future of healthcare.
Interested in more content like this? Save the date for AvaSure Symposium 2025! Registration isn’t open yet, but stay tuned & take a look at our 2024 recap video from attendees.
As a founding sponsor of CODE, AvaSure is excited to collaborate with the American Telemedicine Association and leading health systems to accelerate virtual care innovation. We are bringing our expertise to advance solutions that ensure patient safety, engagement, and equitable access to care.
Read the full article on americantelemed.org
Dive into how the next generation of nurses can be prepared for a healthcare landscape increasingly shaped by virtual care and AI. This session explores how technologies are being integrated into nursing education and early career development, addressing the challenges of bridging the gap between classroom learning and clinical practice. Our expert panel discusses how to foster a tech-savvy, adaptable nursing workforce equipped to meet the demands of today’s patient care.
Highlights of this webinar include:
Hear from leaders at the forefront of nursing education and clinical practice, including perspectives on developing future nursing leaders and leveraging evidence-based approaches to shape the future of healthcare. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain actionable insights and help shape a forward-thinking nursing workforce ready for an era of rapid technological advancement.
Panelists:
Falls among VA hospitalized patients are a serious concern and can lead to injuries and increased healthcare costs, often requiring additional treatment and prolonged hospital stays. A recent 8-hospital analysis of over 10,000 patients falls cited by JAMA showed that a fall with any injury is associated with a cost increase of $36,776 and doubles the length of stay.
In VA hospitals, where patients often have more chronic conditions that contribute to a greater falls risk, prevention is critical. Staffing shortages, particularly among Patient Care Technicians and Certified Nursing Assistants, have exacerbated patient safety concerns, with patient falls rising 253% from 2020 to 2022.1 In response, the Veterans Health Administration introduced the SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act in 2024, creating an Office of Falls Prevention.
Facing labor shortages and escalating costs, VA hospitals across the country have turned to virtual sitting, a replacement for traditional one-to-one sitting. Virtual sitting reduces the need for 1:1 sitting by 75% or more, freeing up clinician’s time and headspace for other valuable work.
With AvaSure’s virtual care platform for virtual sitting, a Virtual Safety Attendant (VSA) can oversee up to 16 veterans at once, using an intelligent, AI-enabled platform to identify patients at risk of a fall and verbally redirect them back to safety. If necessary, the VSA can issue a stat alarm, a loud, in-room alarm that draws nearby caregivers to the room in an emergency with an average response time of 20 seconds2. Freeing up CNAs and nurses from one-to-one sitting allows them to move back to the bedside for more direct patient care activities.
An important aspect of virtual sitting is assessing patients individually to determine whether virtual sitting will meet their needs. Conditions typically monitored by virtual sitters include general safety concerns, such as high fall risk, drug or alcohol withdrawal, confusion, agitation, and elopement risk, and failure to follow safety instructions, such as leaving the unit without notifying staff.
AvaSure’s virtual care platform is implemented in 45 VA hospitals across the country. For more success stories, check out the whitepaper on VA Fall Prevention.
Fayetteville VA hospitals were recently recognized with the 2024 VA Excellence Award when their virtual care program soared to 80% utilization in just six months, highlighting their strong leadership, organization, and commitment to success. Their journey serves as an inspiring model for other VA facilities, proving that with the right strategies and dedication, significant progress can be achieved in a short time.
Facing labor shortages and escalating costs, VA North Texas implemented a virtual sitting program. At the heart of the program is a centralized monitoring hub, allowing 4 virtual safety attendants to oversee a total of 48 patients to reduce falls.
Since implementing the program, VA North Texas freed up bedside care teams for direct patient care and decreased 1:1 sitter usage, saving the program an average of 83 full-time equivalents per month – an annual savings of $3.4 million. The efficiency gains are substantial, with costs per virtual sitting hour reduced to $3.05 compared to $26 for one-to-one sitters. VA fall rates plummeted by nearly 20%, well below national averages. Learn more about VA North Texas Program
For health systems, one-to-one sitters represent a costly drain on resources that do little to improve patient safety. With virtual sitting, health systems such as VA’s have prioritized fall prevention and created better patient outcomes while delivering staff cost savings that can be invested back into direct patient care.
AvaSure’s Intelligent Virtual Care Platform is deployed in 45 VA hospitals across the country, helping make significant strides in VA fall prevention and patient safety. By leveraging technology and data-driven insights, these hospitals are creating a safer environment for veterans and their caregivers.
Interested in reading more? Download the whitepaper to learn:
References
1 Sentinel Event Data Summary | The Joint Commission. (n.d.). www.jointcommission.org. https://www.jointcommission.org/ resources/sentinel-event/sentinel-event-data-summary/
2 Analytics – AvaSure. (2024, April 8). AvaSure. https://avasure.com/analytics/