Our latest research to evaluate the economic impact of a virtual ward has been published on medRxiv, showing significant financial and resource use savings versus a traditional ward.

Working in partnership with Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland ICS, the study explored the use of a virtual ward to manage COVID-19 patients, and the resulting impact on NHS resources.

The study included 310 patients across two key groups; those who had been on oxygen and required weaning off it while within the virtual ward and those who had not required oxygen therapy whilst in hospital.

Key results included:

• 1,103 bed days saved
• Mean net savings of £1,709 per patient
• Net financial savings to the NHS trust of £529,719.

Alongside the paper, our in-house health economist has also assessed the impact on carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.

The virtual ward saved ‘the equivalent of a blue whale’s weight of CO₂'.

The carbon footprint associated with acutely hospitalised patients has been described as the most carbon-intensive of care pathways, contributing 125kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent per day¹. The intervention reduced the number of bed days by 1103.2, resulting in a gross reduction in 2019 CO2 equivalents of 137.9 metric tonnes. A blue whale weighs 140 tonnes on average.

The study is due to be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. You can read the full pre-print now.