Teladoc Health has introduced Virtual Sitter, an AI-powered technology to help hospital staff monitor patients at risk of falling from their beds. Now commercially available, the solution uses computer vision to detect risky movements, such as leaning or reaching, which often lead to falls. According to Teladoc, nearly 1 million hospitalized patients fall annually, with 30% suffering long-term injuries.
Virtual Sitter tracks patients’ movements within defined boundaries, distinguishing them from others in the room, and identifies actions like sitting up or limb movements that may signal fall risks. Alerts are sent to remote, hospital-trained staff, who can monitor up to 25% more patients with this technology. These virtual monitors can directly communicate with patients and notify on-site staff when intervention is needed.
Integrated with Teladoc’s TV Pro devices, the solution supports broader connected care services such as virtual nursing and physician consultations. It aims to address staffing challenges and improve financial efficiency by reducing in-person monitoring costs. Andy Puterbaugh, Teladoc’s president of hospitals and health systems, emphasized that Virtual Sitter was developed in collaboration with customers and has received positive feedback during early testing.
While currently designed for in-patient hospital use, the technology may expand to outpatient settings like skilled nursing facilities. Virtual Sitter strengthens Teladoc’s integrated care offerings, which have seen financial growth despite challenges in other parts of the business.
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