MUSC Health Expands Virtual Nursing to Neonatal ICU

The healthcare system partners with startup VirtuAlly to bring remote nursing services to its most fragile patients.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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MUSC Health in Charleston, South Carolina, is expanding its virtual nursing program to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), building on the success of a previous deployment in the med-surg unit. The move aims to leverage the precision and coordination that virtual nurses can provide in caring for the hospital's most vulnerable patients.

Why it matters

Virtual nursing allows MUSC to address staffing challenges, improve efficiency, and enhance patient care in the specialized NICU setting, which requires meticulous attention to detail and seamless coordination among the healthcare team.

The details

MUSC's virtual nursing program in the NICU will see remote nurses assisting with tasks like discharge education, collaborating with bedside staff to improve safety, and streamlining documentation and care coordination. This division of labor frees up on-site nurses to focus more on direct patient care.

  • MUSC previously deployed virtual nursing in its med-surg unit.
  • The new NICU virtual nursing program is an expansion of MUSC's existing telehealth initiatives.

The players

MUSC Health

A healthcare system based in Charleston, South Carolina, that is expanding its use of virtual nursing to the neonatal intensive care unit.

VirtuAlly

A startup that is collaborating with MUSC Health to provide virtual nursing services.

Emily Warr, MSN, RN

The administrator for the MUSC Center for Telehealth and a former NICU nurse who highlighted the unique challenges of the NICU setting.

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What they’re saying

“The NICU setting demands precision and constant coordination as our team cares for the most fragile patients in the hospital.”

— Emily Warr, Administrator, MUSC Center for Telehealth (MUSC Health news release)

What’s next

MUSC plans to continue expanding its virtual nursing program to other specialized units within the healthcare system, leveraging the technology to address staffing challenges and improve patient outcomes.

The takeaway

MUSC's move to bring virtual nursing to its neonatal intensive care unit demonstrates how hospitals are embracing innovative care delivery models to provide more efficient and personalized care, especially for their most vulnerable patients.