The moments that make a difference: How Owensboro Health is creating more time for care close to home

When people are in the hospital, it’s often the small moments they remember most.

The nurse who takes the time to answer one more question. The conversation that eases anxiety before a procedure. The reassurance that a loved one is in good hands.

At Owensboro Health, a virtual nursing program is creating more of those moments by pairing bedside and virtual nurses as one care team. Together, they are finding new ways to support patients and families while giving nurses more time to focus on what matters most: caring for people.

The organization’s work reflects a challenge facing health systems nationwide. Federal projections estimate the United States could face a shortage of more than 267,000 full-time registered nurses by 2028.

Serving patients and communities across western Kentucky and southern Indiana, Owensboro Health was looking for ways to support a nursing workforce facing growing demands while continuing to deliver high-quality care close to home. Rather than changing who provides care, the organization reimagined how care is delivered.

Today, virtual nurses work alongside bedside nurses to support patient admissions, discharge education, medication-related reconciliation and co-verification along with care coordination. The partnership allows more time for bedside nurses to focus on patients and families throughout their hospital stay.

“Virtual nursing allows me to be more present and focused on patient care,” said Ashlyn Alvey, RN, pulmonary care nurse at Owensboro Health.

Virtual nurses work on-site at Owensboro Health as an extension of the care team. Throughout the patient’s stay, they work alongside bedside nurses to help ensure patients receive the attention, education and support they need while giving bedside teams additional support during busy shifts.

Since launching the program in 2024, Owensboro Health's virtual nursing team has:

• Completed more than 30,000 patient interactions
• Supported more than 3,600 admissions
• Assisted with more than 2,000 discharges
• Completed approximately 5,800 medication co-verifications, providing an additional clinical check for certain medications

Most importantly, the program has returned more than 1,700 hours to bedside nursing teams.

Those numbers represent more than operational improvements. They equate to more time available for answering questions, providing education, supporting families and helping patients feel informed and cared for during some of the most vulnerable moments in their lives.

“The needs of our patients were growing at the same time our nursing workforce was under tremendous pressure,” said Joni Sims, MBA, MSN, RN, chief nursing officer at Owensboro Health. “Virtual nursing is not about replacing nurses. It's about giving nurses the support they need to take care of our patients.”

The impact continues to grow. In July 2026 alone, virtual nurses supported hundreds of patient admissions and discharges, returning 337 hours to bedside nursing teams. That translates to more than 11 additional hours each day that nursing teams could dedicate to patient care across the organization.

By extending the care team beyond the bedside, the model is helping nurses use their time where it can make the greatest difference while creating a more supported experience for patients and families. 

As healthcare organizations look for ways to support their nursing workforces, Owensboro Health's experience highlights an important lesson: successful innovation starts with people.

“Nurses are at the heart of every care experience, and it’s a privilege to support Owensboro Health’s mission to heal the sick and improve the health of the communities they serve. The virtual nursing model we are fortunate to help build reflects their commitment to patients and caregivers by creating more time for the meaningful moments that matter most,” said Erin Satterwhite, chief executive officer, Optum Insight Provider.

Optum worked alongside Owensboro Health to design and implement the virtual nursing model, integrating it into existing care workflows and supporting the organization's vision for the future of nursing.

For the communities Owensboro Health serves, that work is about more than technology. By combining clinical expertise, innovation and a deep commitment to patient care, Owensboro Health is creating a model that supports nurses today while helping patients continue to receive high-quality care close to home.