The Role of Virtual Triage in Advancing Nursing Care

The role of a triage nurse is to conduct professional nurse assessments, begin medical therapy for patients who arrive at the emergency department, and prioritize treatments based on the severity of the needs. Virtual nurse triage services increase the number of care delivery paths that bring healthcare closer to patients while also generating revenue.

Ever since the COVID 19 pandemic, hospitals have been burdened with a large number of patient influx, and in most cases, a visit to the hospital was not even necessary. Therefore, the hospital implemented an innovative virtual triage tool to assess patients’ symptoms and guide what to do prior to leaving your residence.

This system helps ensure that hospitals are prepared for any incoming emergencies while also making sure that all patients receive the best possible treatment.

Virtual support, also known as telemedicine, is paving the path for patients and mental health professionals to collaborate without traveling. Virtual call center services have been recognized for providing various medical management services.

In order for nursing care to advance, the techniques of developing relationships, rapport, and care for nursing interactions must evolve with these remote and virtual settings. Remote and virtual nurse triage services can change the way people think about nursing. There are multiple benefits of virtual nurse triages:

• Nurse triage services can be accessed at any time from any location. These services run 24/7 through call centers where patients are directed to the appropriate medical setting according to their needs.
• A patient can be assessed, diagnosed, and treated effectively through nurse triage services.
• Competent nurse triage services can rely on a large group of nurses who have been trained specifically for every type of caregiver.
• A virtual triage service increases the flexibility of care provided to the patient.
• During odd times of the night, a phone call to a virtual nurse triage provides immediate help and care without waiting and worsening the condition.
• Virtual support also helps to manage the inflow of patients more efficiently.
• Virtual nurse triage saves ample time wasted while waiting in waiting rooms.
• It helps reduce needless absences from school and eliminates the need for parents to take time off work.
• The patient will be guided to the right doctor by assessing symptoms with a virtual triage nurse first.

How Does a Virtual Triage System Work?

When patients call a virtual triage center, they are first connected to a telemedicine triage professional via a virtual exam room. The symptoms are assessed by the virtual triage, which benefits both the patient and the treatment facility by streamlining the flow of patients to their final destination and saving time for both.

After assessing the patients’ symptoms, they are directed to a physical or virtual treatment, depending on the seriousness of illness or ailment.

By assigning the patient to the safest, most cost-effective treatment choice throughout the routing process, virtual triage also helps in saving cost and time for both the patient and the caregiver.

For example, if a patient presents minor conditions, they may be examined virtually by advanced practitioners, specialists, or primary care physicians. If a patient complains of shortness of breath, they may be directed to the emergency room or clinic for physical assessment.

Why should hospitals and caregivers use virtual triage?

A study conducted by the Healthcare Performance Management Institute revealed that approximately 40% of ER visits and 70% of doctor visits could have easily been handled through a virtual assessment.

Patients can be sent to their primary care physician or the emergency room depending on whether they require emergency or non-emergency treatment. This improves efficiency and effectively provides optimum care to patients while lightening the load in emergency rooms and preventing unnecessary hospital visits.

Doctor’s offices and urgent care clinics benefit significantly through virtual triage technologies. Nurses and doctors working offsite can send crucial medical information to clinicians working in other places, including experts.

Medical doctors and triage nurses can obtain patient clinical records through the web or a mobile app and identify measures using virtual triage technologies.

Medical practitioners may choose to treat a patient online, call for a physical assessment right away, schedule an appointment for a later date, or send a patient to the emergency room, depending on the circumstances.

Answer Carolina is one of the best virtual nurse triage centers offering various medical management services. Answer Carolina’s virtual contact centers are staffed with the highest care, compassion, and efficiency, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.