In a world where emergency departments (EDs) are overflowing and patients are waiting hours just to be seen, the rise of virtual care could be a game changer—if only everyone knew how to use it. A study conducted by Cigna reveals that patients who embraced virtual providers experienced 19% fewer visits to ERs or urgent care facilities. That’s a big deal. With over 155 million annual visits to U.S. EDs, imagine the relief if more people opted for virtual care instead.
Duplication of care? Virtual urgent care reduced that by 16%. Pretty impressive, right? And let’s not forget the 75% of customers conducting virtual wellness screenings who didn’t even have a regular primary care provider. Talk about a gap in healthcare! This is where virtual care steps in and saves the day, cutting costs for the healthcare system by avoiding unnecessary ED visits. Continuous monitoring of emergency department visits is essential for guiding public health responses, further underscoring the importance of virtual care in alleviating pressure on these facilities.
Virtual urgent care is closing healthcare gaps, reducing duplication of care by 16% and serving those without a primary provider.
The numbers don’t lie. A single ER visit can cost 12 times more than a standard physician office visit, and unnecessary ER visits are racking up $47 billion in extra spending each year. So, it’s no surprise that virtual care is becoming a lifeline. Tele-triage can fast-track clinical evaluations and prevent patient walkouts. In fact, reductions in boarding hours linked to virtual nursing have led to a 32% drop in walkout rates. Additionally, centralized remote care can assist during patient surges, preserving onsite ED resources.
Even during the pandemic, telehealth visits skyrocketed by 50% compared to the previous year, with pediatric virtual visits making up 27.6% of sick visits. Access to care is a crucial factor as it helps reach underserved populations, further emphasizing the benefits of virtual care. Post-pandemic, the trend hasn’t slowed down, with 9.2% of patients opting for virtual visits between February and October 2021. Virtual care is not just saving money; it’s redefining how patients engage with healthcare.
