ArticleBMC infectious diseases2023
Technology-enabled virtual ward for COVID management of the elderly and immunocompromised in Singapore: a descriptive cohort.
Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 15 citations in OpenAlex.
- Virtual Hospital, Real Health Care.Mayo Clinic proceedings. Digital health · 2025Review
- Virtual Health Care in Hospital-at-Home Models for Patients With Acute Infections: A Scoping Review.Mayo Clinic proceedings. Digital health · 2025Review
- Hybrid Hospital-at-Home Program in Singapore: Ethnographic Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- Health Care Providers' Experiences and Perceptions With Telehealth Tools in a Hospital-at-Home Program: Mixed Methods Study.JMIR human factors · 2025Article
- Barriers and facilitators to scale-up of hospital-at-home: an observational cohort study protocol.Frontiers in health services · 2025Article
- Telehealth-aided outpatient management of acute heart failure in a specialist virtual ward compared with standard care.ESC heart failure · 2024Article
- Roles, Users, Benefits, and Limitations of Chatbots in Health Care: Rapid Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
12 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundTo address the hospital bed demand for Delta and Omicron surges in Singapore, the National University Health System (NUHS) developed a COVID Virtual Ward to relieve bed pressures on its three acute hospitals-National University Hospital, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, Alexandra Hospital. To serve a multilingual population, the COVID Virtual Ward featuring protocolized teleconsultation of high-risk patients, use of a vital signs chatbot, supplemented by home visits where necessary. This study aims to evaluate the safety, outcomes and utilisation of the Virtual Ward as a scalable response to COVID-19 surges.
methodsThis is a retrospective cohort study of all patients admitted to the COVID Virtual Ward between 23 September to 9 November 2021. Patients were defined as "early discharge" if they were referred from inpatient COVID-19 wards and "admission avoidance" if they were referred directly from primary care or emergency services. Patient demographics, utilisation measures and clinical outcomes were extracted from the electronic health record system. The primary outcomes were escalation to hospital and mortality. Use of the vital signs chatbot was evaluated by examining compliance levels, need for automated reminders and alerts triggered. Patient experience was evaluated using data extracted from a quality improvement feedback form.
results238 patients were admitted to the COVID Virtual Ward from 23 September to 9 November, of whom 42% were male, 67.6% of Chinese ethnicity. 43.7% were over the age of 70, 20.5% were immunocompromised, and 36.6% were not fully vaccinated. 17.2% of patients were escalated to hospital and 2.1% of patients died. Patients who were escalated to hospital were more likely to be immunocompromised or to have a higher ISARIC 4C-Mortality Score. There were no missed deteriorations. All patients received teleconsults (median of 5 teleconsults per patient, IQR 3-7). 21.4% of patients received home visits. 77.7% of patients engaged with the vital signs chatbot, with a compliance rate of 84%. All patients would recommend the programme to others in their situation.
conclusionsVirtual Wards are a scalable, safe and patient-centered strategy to care for high risk COVID-19 patients at home.
trial registrationNA.
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Registered trials
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