Virtual Emergency Care Pilot Project in B.C.'s Interior

under implementation

A pilot project launching virtual emergency care at four hospitals in British Columbia's Interior. Patients seeking emergency care at these hospitals may now be seen by a doctor working virtually. The pilot aims to modernize rural health services and improve access to expert care for rural residents. The care teams will start with a few nights a week and expand to seven evenings a week starting in the new year. The model includes a doctor providing in-person care at one facility while offering virtual support at three other emergency departments, with an emergency nurse determining the level of care needed at sites without doctors on-site. For life-threatening emergencies, an in-person physician remains on standby for each community.