The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced that tele-emergency care (tele-EC) is now available nationwide. According to the VA, the expansion has already helped > 61,000 callers with a 59.4% case resolution rate, meaning veterans’ needs were resolved without them having to travel to urgent care or an emergency department.
Tele-EC does not replace the need for in-person emergency evaluation, but offers quick, virtual triage assessments for veterans in rural areas or those with mobility and transportation challenges when in-person immediate care can be difficult to access. The program is a part of VA Health Connect , which connects the caller to a clinical triage nurse, who connects the veteran to tele-emergency care when clinically appropriate. Tele-EC practitioners evaluate the veteran over the phone or on video and recommend treatment or follow-up, including in-person care if needed. In life-threatening emergencies, the clinical triage nurse will call 911 and stay on the phone with the veteran until help arrives. The VA however, says the best step for a veteran experiencing a life-threatening emergency is to immediately contact 911 as opposed to seeking support via tele-EC.
The program can save time not only through on-the-spot evaluation, but by avoiding drive and wait times. “Sometimes, you’re not sure whether what you’re experiencing is a minor emergency or not — and tele-emergency care can help you resolve those questions,” VA Under Secretary for Health Shereef Elnahal, MD, says. “Veterans can get immediate, virtual triage with a VA medical provider who has direct access to their medical records. This avoids having to potentially drive to the nearest emergency department and wait to be evaluated, if appropriate.”
Veterans enrolled in VA health care can now access tele-EC nationwide by calling VA Health Connect and through the VA Health Chat app. Veterans can find their local VA Health Connect number by searching for their facility .