Almost 300 people have avoided a trip to the emergency department in Kerry and Cork due to a new virtual initiative.
The HSE South West Urgent Virtual Care (UVC) service is operated out of Cork University Hospital and it launched on November 4th.
The Urgent Virtual Care service allows GPs and paramedics to consult directly with a senior medical decision maker in emergency medicine or geriatric medicine by phone or video call.
Since the service started a month ago, it has dealt with over 410 referrals.
Some 69% of those patients, or more than 280 people, have been able to avoid a trip to an Emergency Department thanks to the service; these patients were directed to another pathway.
The Urgent Virtual Care service is run by a dedicated team of senior clinicians and support staff who provide virtual consultations and assessment from the centralised hub; only GPs and paramedics can refer patients to the service, patients cannot refer themselves.
Using a telehealth model, the expert team assess the healthcare needs of eligible patients who, in some cases, are assessed from the comfort of their home.
Through phone and video consultations, the team, in consultation with the patient's GP or paramedics, can facilitate pathways for ongoing care, in many cases bypassing the ED.
