Using Virtual Emergency Medicine Clinicians as a Health System Entry Point

The authors sought to determine the effect of access to emergency medical clinicians through the “Virtual First” (VF) program on patients seeking acute care needs at urgent cares or emergency departments (ED). Of the patients who were seen via VF, almost half indicated they would have gone to urgent care had they not connected with clinicians virtually first. Nearly all patients ranked receiving care in the comfort of their home as the most favorable aspect of VF. The authors highlight the cost-saving benefit to the patients and the reduction of unnecessary ED visits as reasons to consider adopting virtual emergency medicine telehealth programs.