University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.
J Med Internet Res. 2023 Aug 3;25:e47637. doi: 10.2196/47637.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased patient volumes, staff shortages, and limited resources in emergency departments, resulting in the rapid acceleration of telemedicine in emergency medicine. The virtual first (VF) program connects patients with emergency medicine clinicians via synchronous virtual video visits, reducing unnecessary emergency department visits and diverting patients to appropriate care settings. VF video visits can improve patient outcomes by providing early intervention for acute care needs and can enhance patient satisfaction by providing convenient, accessible, and personalized care. However, challenges include the lack of physical examination, clinician telehealth training and competencies, and the requirement for a robust telemedicine infrastructure. Additionally, digital health equity is important to ensure equitable access to care. Despite these challenges, the potential benefits of VF video visits in emergency medicine are substantial, and this study is a strong step in building the evidence base for these advancements.
新冠疫情大流行导致急诊科患者量增加、医护人员短缺和资源有限，这使得远程医疗在急诊医学中迅速加速。虚拟首诊（VF）项目通过同步虚拟视频就诊将患者与急诊医学临床医生联系起来，减少了不必要的急诊科就诊，并将患者转至适当的护理场所。VF 视频就诊可以通过为急性护理需求提供早期干预来改善患者预后，通过提供便捷、可及和个性化的护理来提高患者满意度。然而，挑战包括缺乏体格检查、临床医生远程医疗培训和能力，以及需要强大的远程医疗基础设施。此外，数字健康公平对于确保公平获得护理至关重要。尽管存在这些挑战，但 VF 视频就诊在急诊医学中的潜在益处是巨大的，这项研究是为这些进展建立证据基础的重要一步。
