Remote care and triage of obstetric patients with COVID-19 in the community: operational considerations.

We outline the operational model and outcomes of a successful Maternity Virtual Ward (MVW) established during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Between October 2021 and February 2022, 429 patients were referred, of which 228 were admitted to the MVW. Total bed-days was 1,182, mean length of stay was 6 days (SD 2.3, range 1-14 days). Fifteen (6.6%) required hospital admission and one (0.4%) critical care. There were no deaths. Patients alluded to increased safety, comfort, and ease with the technology. Attention should be given to identifying clinical champions, triage criteria, technology selection, and flexible escalation pathways, adaptable to changing patterns of disease.