Curie Brief
Turn on cookies to sign in
Signing in saves your progress to your Curie account. We can only do that with cookies on — turn them on to continue.
News
Owensboro Health and Optum Insight have partnered to deploy virtual nurses who work alongside bedside nurses, handling admissions, discharges, and medication reconciliation. Since launching in 2024, the program has logged over 30,000 patient interactions and returned 1,700 hours to frontline nurses. The goal isn't to replace nurses — it's to give them the breathing room to focus on direct patient care.
Kentucky-based Owensboro Health and Optum Insight have joined forces to tackle one of healthcare's most persistent problems: an overstretched nursing workforce. Their solution? Virtual nurses — clinicians who work on-site but remotely, supporting bedside teams with time-consuming tasks like admissions, discharges, medication reconciliation, and care coordination. The program launched in 2024 and has since become a meaningful part of daily hospital operations.
The virtual nurses aren't just a tech workaround — they're embedded in the same building, able to step in physically if needed, and they actively build relationships with frontline staff. The model also opens doors for nurses who may be sidelined by physical limitations, like an injury, to stay clinically engaged without the full demands of bedside care.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: With nursing shortages showing no signs of easing, virtual nursing models like this offer a scalable, human-centered approach to workforce relief — without replacing the nurses patients depend on.
