Hospital night shift hours are on a collision course with the growing physician shortage, while patients’ expectations of prompt, quality care are rising. Will the healthcare industry ever reconcile these two opposing forces?
Perhaps there is no silver bullet. Perhaps a combination of multifaceted solutions is the answer. Incentives for wellness. Greater responsibility and autonomy for NPs and
PAs. Increased use of telemedicine to deliver physicians wherever they are needed, serving the underserved. Particularly in the hospital setting, telemedicine is bringing relief in key areas. Small, rural hospitals use it to avoid transferring patients. EDs use it to improve their response to victims of stroke and other neurological crises. And, hospitals of all sizes are finding telemedicine of value in solving their night coverage challenges —closing gaps in ED coverage, providing quick response to cross-coverage calls, and easing physician stress while supporting consistent, quality care 24/7.
This paper takes a look at how telemedicine is working to cover hospital night shift hours, and why it has proven to be ideally suited for this demanding aspect of hospital care.