Shared on behalf of Dr. Peter Voros, EVP In-Patient Care Programs
As of June 30th, the Virtual Emergency Department (ED) pilot at our Hospital has ended.
Launched on January 4th, 2021, the Virtual ED offered same-day virtual assessments with emergency department physicians. The program was made available to people living in Thunder Bay and the surrounding area who are older than 17 years of age, have a non-life-threatening medical issue, and either don’t have a primary care provider or are unable to obtain timely access to one.
Patients and families in our community embraced this innovative and convenient care option. As of June 30th, 815 virtual appointments were completed and the overall patient experience was rated a 9/10 by those who utilized the service.
The Virtual ED was also successful at reaching those who needed it most:
- 36% of people who utilized this service had no Primary Care Provider (PCP).
- A variety of non-urgent medical conditions were treated, including 25% who required a prescription and 13% who were referred to the ED for further assessment.
- The most common reason for seeking this virtual option was related to the inability to obtain a timely PCP appointment.
Thank you to all those involved who made this service a reality for our patients and their families. Our Hospital will look for collaborative opportunities to offer virtual care in the future.