The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced on Sept. 26 the nationwide availability of tele-emergency care (tele-EC), an initiative aimed at improving timely access to virtual emergency care for veterans enrolled in the VA health care system.
This significant expansion builds upon a successful pilot program and is part of broader efforts by the VA to enhance health care access for veterans, the agency said in a statement.
Since its pilot phase, tele-emergency care has assisted more than 61,000 callers, with a 59.4 percent case resolution rate—meaning the majority of veterans who used the service were able to resolve their medical concerns without needing to visit an emergency room or urgent care facility in person, according to the statement….