ReviewCureus2025
The Effectiveness of Virtual Wards Compared to Inpatient Beds in Clinical Outcomes of Frail Older Patients With Chronic Conditions: A Systematic Review.
Review in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
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
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Real-World Management of Difficult Exacerbations of Bronchiectasis: A Case Study to Illustrate How Guidelines Can Support Best Practice.Clinical case reports · 2026Article
- Policy Considerations for National Virtual Hospitals: Global Evidence and the Seha Virtual Hospital Model.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
This systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of virtual wards (VWs) compared with traditional inpatient care for frail older adults with chronic conditions. VWs integrate multidisciplinary care and telehealth technologies to deliver hospital-level services at home, aiming to reduce unnecessary admissions and improve patient outcomes. A comprehensive search of five databases (Cochrane, CINAHL, PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar) identified 9,188 records. After removing duplicates and applying eligibility criteria, 52 full-text articles were screened, and six high-quality studies involving 2,325 participants met the inclusion criteria. Randomised controlled trials were appraised using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool (RoB 2), and quasi-experimental studies were assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklist. Due to heterogeneity, a narrative synthesis was conducted. Findings indicated that virtual wards supported by multidisciplinary teams and remote monitoring were associated with reduced hospital readmissions, improved quality of life, and high patient satisfaction. Some studies also demonstrated cost-effectiveness compared with inpatient care. However, variations in study design, population criteria, and outcome measures limited comparability, while mortality results were inconsistent. Barriers such as digital literacy, patient engagement, and access to technology also affected uptake and sustainability. Overall, the evidence suggests that virtual wards can enhance outcomes for frail older adults and help relieve pressures on healthcare systems. Future research should adopt clearer definitions of frailty, standardised criteria, and consistent outcome measures to strengthen the evidence base. Larger, well-designed trials and long-term evaluations are needed to establish the clinical, social, and economic sustainability of virtual ward models. Sustained investment in digital infrastructure, workforce development, and patient engagement will be essential to support equitable and effective implementation across healthcare systems.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.