Owensboro Health has partnered with Optum Insight to implement a virtual nursing program designed to reduce administrative workloads and give bedside nurses more time for direct patient care. The model pairs frontline nurses with virtual nurses who support clinical and administrative tasks including admissions, discharges, medication reconciliation and care coordination.
Unlike fully remote virtual nursing models, Owensboro's virtual nurses work on-site at the health system's hospitals. They connect with patients and bedside teams through technology while remaining physically available to step in when necessary. The approach builds on a three-year partnership between Owensboro Health and Optum, which has provided technology and operational services to the Kentucky-based health system.
The program is already showing measurable time savings. In July 2026, virtual nurses returned 337 hours to bedside teams by assisting with admissions and discharges, equivalent to approximately 11 additional hours per day that frontline nurses could dedicate to direct patient care. Owensboro emphasizes that the program is intended to support nurses rather than replace them.
Medication management is another key component. Virtual nurses help document patients' existing medications during admission, coordinate with pharmacy teams and support medication reconciliation at discharge. They can also help ensure prescriptions required after hospitalization are correctly sent to pharmacies, potentially improving continuity and medication adherence after patients return home.
The model may also create more flexible roles for experienced nurses who are temporarily or permanently unable to handle the physical demands of bedside care. Nurses recovering from injuries, for example, can continue supporting patients and clinical teams through virtual roles. By combining workforce flexibility with workflow automation and remote clinical support, Owensboro and Optum aim to reduce nursing burden while maintaining patient care capacity.
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