LINK-ED: Strengthening Rural Emergency Care
To support rural communities, Interior Health (IH) working with the Ministry of Health to explore a new way of delivering emergency care.
The IH LINK-ED pilot combines in-person and virtual physician support for patients needing emergency care overnight.
The goal?
- Reliable overnight access
- Better work-life balance for physicians
- Strong, dependable care for the communities that count on us
We are collaborating with physicians, nursing staff and community leaders in Lillooet, Princeton, Clearwater and Nakusp to pilot LINK-ED and assess its feasibility beginning this winter and into the new year.
Have your say
We want to hear from community members to ensure we meet your needs. On this page, you can follow the pilot’s progress, share feedback or ask questions.
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LINK‑ED pilot launches: What it means for rural communities
Share LINK‑ED pilot launches: What it means for rural communities on Facebook Share LINK‑ED pilot launches: What it means for rural communities on Twitter Share LINK‑ED pilot launches: What it means for rural communities on Linkedin Email LINK‑ED pilot launches: What it means for rural communities linkThis week, Interior Health is bringing in a new virtual care pilot, IH LINK-ED, to emergency departments in Lillooet, Clearwater, Nakusp and Princeton.
IH LINK-ED blends in person care with virtual physician support, so people living in these communities can count on having more reliable access to emergency departments overnight. The benefits to patients are same quality care, fewer service interruptions and no long travel unless specialized care is needed.
How does it work?
- When patients walk into an ED, an emergency-trained nurse will determine the level of care needed.
- The nurse may connect with a doctor in another community through a secure video or phone call to review patient condition and guide the treatment
- If patients need rapid, hands-on care, a local doctor is always on standby in each community and can come to the hospital to help
Care teams will ease into the new model by trying it out a few nights each week, while keeping regular in person coverage on the other nights. The plan is to build up gradually, with full seven day a week implementation expected in the new year.
To learn more, visit: https://www.interiorhealth.ca/media/interior-health-link-ed-pilot-project-begins
To sign up for updates, or or submit your feedback/questions, visit: https://engageih.ca/link-ed
