Providence St. Joseph Hospital Eureka enhances care delivery and reduces wait times with new innovations in the Emergency Department
Patients arriving at the Emergency Department at Providence St. Joseph Hospital Eureka, a Level III Trauma Center, are now being seen on average in less than 10 minutes of their arrival, thanks to a series of groundbreaking innovations designed to enhance the care experience, improve efficiency and support bedside teams.
On July 17, St. Joseph Hospital Eureka became Providence’s first Emergency Department to launch a virtual nursing model and hybrid approach that blends telehealth support with traditional bedside care. This pilot program is part of a broader strategy that also includes adoption of AI technology by physicians and utilization of the Physician in Triage model to streamline workflows and enable more patient-centered care.
“These innovations are transforming how we deliver emergency care,” said Kristen Hansen, director of nursing, Emergency. “Patients are being seen faster, receiving more personalized attention, and our caregivers are feeling more supported than ever.”
Virtual nurses support bedside nurses in ED
Each Emergency Department room is equipped with a mounted TV and camera, allowing virtual nurses to assist patients remotely via secure two-way audio and video. With a patient's consent, family members or advocates can also join calls from outside the hospital.
Virtual nurses do not replace bedside nurses, they provide supplemental support handling key tasks such as admissions, discharge preparation, medication reconciliation and patient education, freeing up bedside teams to focus on direct care.
One virtual nurse, Matthew Stevens, shared how the model is reshaping the patient experience: “Virtual nursing allows us to return to the fundamentals of nursing, like being present, listening, educating and advocating. In our fast-paced environment, virtual nurses can help patients feel seen and supported, while also relieving bedside caregivers of tasks like coordinating with outside facilities or facilitating interpreter-supported video calls. It’s a collaborative approach that truly enhances care.”
Patients are already noticing the difference. Vanessa Anderson, who recently visited the ED, shared her experience: “The virtual nurse made sure I had everything I needed because they were busy; the emergency room was packed! The bedside nurse isn’t having to run around from room to room, making life easier. I was happy with my overall experience.”
Artificial Intelligence and Physician in Triage streamlines workflows
St. Joseph Hospital Eureka also utilizes an AI assistant that securely captures patient-physician conversations and automatically converts them into notes for delivery within Providence’s electronic health record in real-time. Since implementation, the ambient tool has significantly reduced administrative burdens, allowing providers to spend more of their time focused on their patients at the bedside.
In addition, the hospital now utilizes a Physician in Triage model, placing a physician at the front of the emergency department workflow, allowing patients to be assessed and treated more quickly upon arrival.
Together, these innovations are helping St. Joseph Hospital Eureka deliver faster, smarter and more compassionate emergency care.
“We’re building this together,” Hansen said. “The response from our caregivers and patients has been overwhelmingly positive. This is a rare and exciting opportunity to shape the future of health care delivery.”
St. Joseph Hospital Eureka is proud to help lead these efforts for the broader Providence health system and welcomes feedback from the community as the pilot continues to evolve.
For more information, visit: Emergency Department | St. Joseph Hospital Eureka | Providence
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About Providence in Humboldt County-
Providence is committed to meeting the highest standards in health care delivery while ministering to the needs of the whole person – body, mind and spirit. This commitment to the people of the North Coast is expressed in the Providence’s five core values –-Compassion, Dignity, Excellence, Justice and Integrity. -In Humboldt County, Providence operates St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka and Redwood Memorial Hospital in Fortuna and offers a comprehensive network of specialty care and services including a Level III Trauma Center, Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and a Cancer Center Accredited by the Commission on Cancer. -The health care ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange began in Humboldt County during the flu epidemic of 1918. The Sisters opened the first St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka in 1920 and committed to continually improving the health and quality of life of the people served. This commitment continues today and has been further defined by the vision of Providence – Health for a Better World.-