Topic Collection: Virtual Medical Care

The continuing increase in the use and capabilities of virtual medical care (also referred to as telemedicine, although care may be provided via telephone, web, or other means) has led many in the emergency medical  community to plan or implement call centers and web- or telephone-based triage and treatment systems in anticipation of and during public health emergencies. Additionally, health systems are using virtual platforms to coordinate care and provide remote access to specialty care and assessment (e.g., trauma, stroke, and psychiatric) which can be leveraged during disasters to broaden access to specialty consultation (e.g., for patients with burn injuries or pediatric patients). These resources highlight strategies for implementing virtual medical care during a disaster, including lessons learned from recent events.  

Each resource in this Topic Collection is placed into one or more of the following categories (click on the category name to be taken directly to that set of resources). Resources marked with an asterisk (*) appear in more than one category. Additional information can be found in the following Topic Collections: Influenza Epidemic/ Pandemic; Natural Disasters; SARS/MERS; and Utility Failures.