Practitioners' perspectives on implementation of acute virtual wards: A scoping review

Virtual wards provide a promising alternative to traditional 'bedded care' by facilitating early discharges and delivering acute care at home. They focus specifically on patients needing acute care, which would traditionally necessitate an in-hospital stay. Understanding practitioners' beliefs and attitudes is crucial for successful implementation and operation of Virtual wards. This scoping review explores practitioners' perspectives on the implementation of virtual wards. A total of 18 studies were included in the final analysis from the 201 studies identified initially through searches in PubMed, Cochrane, CINAHL, and Embase databases (2015-2024) following PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. Thematic analysis was conducted using Braun and Clarke's framework to identify key insights. Thematic analysis revealed key themes related to implementation, quality of care, technology, training, and awareness. These themes highlight the challenges influencing the adoption and considerations for the operational success of virtual wards. Virtual wards demonstrate significant potential for delivering acute care efficiently and sustainably. However, challenges related to service design, patient safety, technology integration, and workforce training must be addressed to ensure their successful implementation and long-term efficacy.