6 May 2021We recently attended the Rural Health Conference in beautiful Taupo. It was the first time in a year that we've had the opportunity to 'rub shoulders' with a delegation of our colleagues - and it was particularly exciting because the event had drawn together 400 health professionals and administrators from rural and remote communities.
We receive video calls direct from patients across the country. But we're also set up to partner with health providers who need urgent and after-hours support (a need that's ripe in our rural communities).
Not only does a partnership between a rural ED and Emergency Consult deliver timely care to patients, it can also ease a bit of pressure from our colleagues who are undeniably stretched too thin.
An example of this win-win solution in action is the partnership between the physicians at Emergency Consult and the Kaitaia Hospital Accident & Medical Clinic, which has been running since February.
Official trial results and data are yet to be released but we’re pleased with progress. Currently our support is primarily serving the Kaitaia nursing team overnight with lower acuity patients being seen virtually by the Emergency Consult team. Attending to these lower
acuity patients quickly, via virtual consult, frees up clinical staff to concentrate on patients presenting with more seriously illness and injury.
It’s also our intention that the clinical team, when on-call but not on-site, will be burdened with less disruptions – allowing them a real break between shifts and benefiting better work-life balance.
Emergency Consult is delivered by emergency medicine consultants (FACEM) who have a wealth of knowledge and experience within the NZ healthcare system. Our doctors provide expert, friendly back-up wherever it’s most needed.
The system is super simple and can be scaled easily to meet demand. There are no enrolment forms, no apps, no downloads. All a patient needs is their cellphone, or a device with camera, and they're ready to go.
Some clinics and emergency departments, like the Kaitaia A&M, are able to provide a dedicated consult room for online consults. This is an ideal scenario for clinics that wish to have our FACEM to provide ongoing, regular support (Ie. night cover).
To explore a partnership with Emergency Consult, please contact us. We look forward to providing expert back-up in your neck of the woods very soon.