Beyond the Bedside in West Michigan: Virtual Connected Care™ Revolutionizes Nursing Practice at Trinity Health Grand Rapids

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (December 11, 2023) – Trinity Health Grand Rapids announces the launch of TogetherTeam Virtual Connected Care™, a first-of-its kind care model to improve patient-centered care delivery, increase job satisfaction and create career pathways for nurses at any stage of their career.

With a predicted shortage of 9 million nurses worldwide by 2030, the nursing workforce crisis remains a critical challenge for health systems across the nation. Michigan, like the rest of the country, is also grappling with a shortage of nursing staff. Hospitals in our state report more than 8,500 nursing jobs they are trying to fill. Some nurses say it is not a worker shortage, but the fact that people are not willing to work under the current conditions.

With TogetherTeam Virtual Connected Care™, Trinity Health is actively addressing these challenges by using a true team approach to patient-centered care. This approach uses technology to support direct care staff and increase patient interaction with their care team.

The team functions as a cohesive and highly connected unit to deliver comprehensive care, with each team member bringing the best that their training and expertise enables to improve outcomes and increase engagement between patients and nurses.

Currently, patients receiving care on two floors of the Trinity Health Lacks Cancer Center in Grand Rapids can expect to be treated by a direct care (bedside) registered nurse (RN), on-site nursing assistant or licensed practical nurse (LPN), and a virtual RN who remotes into the patient's room using a small in-room camera and the patient’s TV. The vRN is a care partner and extension of the bedside nurse.

"This is a bold step toward revolutionizing the nursing practice for our patients and nursing colleagues," said Matt Biersack, MD, president, Trinity Health Grand Rapids. "By confronting the imminent challenges nurses face as clinicians through creativity and ingenuity, we enhance care delivery and bolster job satisfaction — paving the way for the nurses of tomorrow.”

The virtual RN team in Grand Rapids currently has nine RNs with more than 170 combined years of experience.

Even though they connect to the patient room virtually, they are in the hospital and have access to complete medical records and even can perform detailed examinations via advanced camera technology.

"Professional development in nursing is at a critical juncture,” said Michelle Peña, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, chief nursing officer, Trinity Health Grand Rapids. “At a time when an unprecedented percentage in the nursing profession are considering leaving, a deeper understanding is needed around challenges facing the bedside care provider. The traditional model of hospital nursing is no longer optimal in some environments."

A key market differentiator, the Virtual Connected Care™ model accommodates caregivers at various stages of their careers, providing a stable and predictable working environment and helping to build a strong pipeline of caregivers to meet future health care needs.

"This innovative care delivery model supports nurses doing what they love most: using their full breadth of skills to provide excellent professional care to their patients," said Peña. “Virtual Connected Care helps us respond swiftly to patient needs, prioritizing their well-being and enhancing the quality of care we provide."

Peña noted that the presence of an experienced virtual nurse provides invaluable mentoring and support to the direct care nurses, especially those who are new graduates. “Tenured nurses, those with decades of experience, who would like a change can put their knowledge and skillset to use for the rest of the care team from a virtual setting,” she said. “Patients and families have been very appreciative of this model – they have additional access to a nurse at all times during their stay.”

Trinity Health Oakland served as a pilot for this program. Trinity Health Ann Arbor implemented the program at the same time as Trinity Health Grand Rapids. Trinity Health Muskegon is schedule to go live in January. Across the nation, TogetherTeam Virtual Connected Care™ has been successfully implemented on a total of 50 units in 19 hospitals in 10 states.