ArticleBMJ open quality2026
Feasibility and early outcomes of a multi-site TeleHospitalist admissions programme: staff and patient perspectives from a large health system.
Article in BMJ open quality, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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9 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundStaffing shortages contribute to admission delays, fragmented care and hospitalist burnout. Although telemedicine has been widely adopted in critical care and subspecialties, its use in general inpatient admissions remains understudied. This study evaluated the feasibility, operational performance and early perceptions of a TeleHospitalist admissions programme designed to address nocturnal staffing shortages in a large academic health system.
methodsIn October 2024, Houston Methodist launched a nocturnal TeleHospitalist programme. The programme provided centralised coverage via audio-video technology, operating from 18:00 to 02:00 initially and expanding to 18:00-06:00. Adult patients admitted from the emergency department (ED) between October 2024 and August 2025 and clinical staff involved in admission workflows, were surveyed. Operational data on admission timeliness were extracted from the Epic electronic medical record, and patient and staff experiences were evaluated through structured surveys and qualitative feedback.
resultsOver 10 months, 1575 TeleHospitalist encounters were completed (median age 65 years (IQR 49 to 75); 56% were ≥65 years). Median hospital length of stay was 38.5 hours (IQR 17.3 to 66.3), and median ED arrival-to-admission time was 7.3 hours (IQR 4.7 to 12.8). Among 311 patient respondents (19.7%; median age 66.5 years (IQR 52.3 to 75.6); 5% were ≥65 years), satisfaction scores were high (median 4 (IQR 3 to 5). Staff responses (n=29) demonstrated strong endorsement: 86% favoured continuation, 79% reported comfort with the technology and 75% rated admission processes as better than traditional workflows.
conclusionsA system-wide TeleHospitalist admissions programme was feasible and well accepted by patients and staff. Older adults reported positive experiences, suggesting age is not a barrier to virtual inpatient care. Early findings indicate improved timeliness, communication and workflow efficiency while mitigating overnight staffing gaps. Future studies will evaluate long-term outcomes, cost-effectiveness and strategies to enhance privacy and patient engagement.
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