Urgent Virtual Care: Impact on GP, Emergency, and Scheduled Care Pathways

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Digital Health
• Patient Pathways

Background:

• The Health Service Executive (HSE) South West introduced Urgent Virtual Care (UVC) to manage unscheduled emergency department (ED) visits.
• General Practice (GP) referrals and ED attendance patterns were analyzed to assess UVC's impact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of UVC in modifying patient care pathways.
• To assess the impact of UVC on unscheduled ED attendance.
• To determine the outcomes of GP referrals through the UVC service.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective observational analysis compared pre- and post-UVC implementation periods.
• Data from a single GP practice in Co. Cork was analyzed.
• Referral outcomes were categorized into ED visits, UVC referrals, and UVC-resolved cases.

Main Results:

• Following UVC implementation, 17% of emergency referrals were directed to UVC, with 83% still going to the ED.
• Of those referred to UVC, 40% were resolved without an ED visit.
• Another 40% of UVC referrals resulted in additional scheduled care, bypassing the ED.

Conclusions:

• Urgent Virtual Care (UVC) shows potential in enhancing patient care and optimizing healthcare resource allocation.
• UVC provides general practitioners with efficient access to urgent specialist consultations.
• The service demonstrates a positive impact on managing unscheduled care demands.