Virtual wards for people with frailty: What works, for whom, how and why—a rapid realist review

Westby, Maggie; Ijaz, Sharea; Savović, Jelena; McLeod, Hugh; Dawson, Sarah; Welsh, Tomas; Le Roux, Hein; Walsh, Nicola; Bradley, Natasha

Abstract

Virtual wards (VWs) deliver multidisciplinary care at home to people with frailty who are at high risk of a crisis or in crisis, aiming to mitigate the risk of acute hospital admission. Different VW models exist, and evidence of effectiveness is inconsistent. We conducted a rapid realist review to identify different VW models and to develop explanations for how and why VWs could deliver effective frailty management. We searched published and grey literature to identify evidence on multidisciplinary VWs. Information on how and why VWs might 'work' was extracted and synthesised into context-mechanism-outcome configurations with input from clinicians and patient/public contributors. We included 17 peer-reviewed and 11 grey literature documents. VWs could be short-term and acute (1-21days), or longer-term and preventative (typically 3-7months). Effective VW operation requires common standards agreements, information sharing processes, an appropriate multidisciplinary team that plans patient care remotely, and good co-ordination. VWs may enable delivery of frailty interventions through appropriate selection of patients, comprehensive assessment including medication review, integrated case management and proactive care. Important components for patients and caregivers are good communication with the VW, their experience of care at home, and feeling involved, safe and empowered to manage their condition. Insights gained from this review could inform implementation or evaluation of VWs for frailty. A combination of acute and longer-term VWs may be needed within a whole system approach. Proactive care is recommended to avoid frailty-related crises. [Abstract copyright: © The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society.]

Citation

Westby, M., Ijaz, S., Savović, J., McLeod, H., Dawson, S., Welsh, T., …Bradley, N. (2024). Virtual wards for people with frailty: What works, for whom, how and why—a rapid realist review. Age and Ageing, 53(3), Article afae039. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afae039

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 28, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Mar 14, 2024
• Publication Date: Mar 31, 2024
• Deposit Date: Mar 18, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 19, 2024
• Journal: Age and Ageing
• Print ISSN: 0002-0729
• Electronic ISSN: 1468-2834
• Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 53
• Issue: 3
• Article Number: afae039
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afae039
• Keywords: older people, Humans, frailty, multidisciplinary, Hospitals, proactive care, virtual ward, acute care, qualitative research, Hospitalization, Frailty - diagnosis - therapy
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11808252