Mee Memorial Hospital launches virtual ER front door program
Virtual ER visits are coming to Mee Memorial Hospital starting Tuesday.
The hospital says they want to be more efficient. The new virtual program could save patients a drive to the emergency room, or give hospitals a chance to prepare for the patient if they do need to come to the ER.
The hospital said it's about eliminating barriers in getting to a doctor or the ER.
"So there is not as much of this back and forth and a delay in terms of getting in front of the provider that you actually want to see," said Dr. Noah Hawthorne, emergency department medical director at Mee Memorial Hospital.
Getting in front of the doctor is going to be faster, and more efficient for patients at Mee Memorial Hospital's emergency department in King City. The hospital is launching a virtual front door program to the ER.
The new system will allow patients to go online to get the ball rolling. Click here, to go to the hospital's website. Patients will chat with an artificial intelligence system about their situation before a video call with an ER doctor.
"And really have a chance to work with someone local who really understands them, their community, their issues. And then is working in that same system," said Hawthorne.
Some visits can be done virtually. But more serious situations might require a trip to the ER. If that is the case, during a patient's drive to the hospital, providers will prepare for the patient. Such as ordering tests so it's ready for the patient when they arrive.
Hawthorne said, "Allowing people to be in and out a lot faster with less of a burden on paperwork."
If needed to deal with an increased load, the hospital can have an additional doctor from the community log in remotely to see patients.
"It will allow us to scale some of the care we are able to provide during certain situations," Hawthorne said.
The doctor added by bringing in another doctor remotely they are, "able to help decompress the surge that is happening in the ER."
In the coming weeks, the hospital is working on doing virtual follow-up visits with patients. This is to make sure they are doing OK at home, with the ability for the hospital to already have their information from the previous visit.