Virtual ERs working for rural Alberta: study

EDMONTON — An Alberta Health Services (AHS) program is helping northern healthcare facilities provide accessible emergency department physician care for low-acuity patients, according to data from the first six months of the pilot project released at the end of March by Alberta Health Services.

The Virtual Emergency Physician (VEP) program connects rural emergency departments experiencing temporary on-site physician vacancies with experienced off-site emergency physicians through secure virtual technology. The program, designed to support patients with non-life-threatening issues, was initially piloted in January 2025 at AHS facilities in Hinton, Edson, Beaverlodge, Lac La Biche and Elk Point.

Newly released data from those sites shows that in the first six months:

• Virtual physicians covered 229 shifts, representing nearly 3,000 hours of service.
• Virtual physicians provided care to about 1,150 low-acuity patients.
• The program eliminated 98 percent of emergency department service disruptions that would have been caused by a lack of on-site physician coverage.
• Patients rated the care they received through VEP favourably (seven out of 10).
• Almost two-thirds of patients would recommend a VEP visit to their family and friends.

“The Virtual Emergency Physician Program helps to ensure rural communities have more reliable access to emergency care, strengthens services across the province, and provides vital support to the teams delivering care to Albertans,” said Matt Jones, minister of hospital and surgical health services.

Through the program, site clinical staff can connect with an AHS physician by telephone or videoconference. This off-site virtual physician collaborates with local staff, speaks with patients, orders tests and medications, and transfers or discharges patients. EMS remains available to transfer high-acuity patients to a nearby facility with in-person ED physician support when necessary.

The program has expanded over the past year to include Barrhead, Coronation, Grimshaw, Redwater, Smoky Lake, St. Paul, Two Hills and Westlock.

“The VEP program is proving to be an effective way to maintain care in rural emergency departments while supporting the teams who work there every day,” says Dr. Jane Ojedokun (pictured), deputy corridor lead-rural, AHS Edmonton Corridor and physician in Whitecourt. “By connecting local staff with emergency physicians virtually, we’re able to provide expertise in real time and ensure low-acuity patients receive the support they need when they need it. While our goal is to always have on-site emergency physician coverage, this program has supported front-line teams in communities where recruiting and maintaining consistent emergency physician coverage can be challenging.”

Physician recruitment remains a priority. Elk Point Healthcare Centre and Redwater Healthcare Centre both launched the VEP program last year, but both sites have since secured on-site physician support and no longer require the program. Most recently, the AHS healthcare centre in Athabasca has been added to the program, and planning is occurring with Hardisty.

More than half of patients surveyed at the pilot sites believed VEP care was comparable to an in-person visit. One survey respondent wrote: “It worked well. Happy to have someone to help me. Nice to have had care from the VEP. I would have been lost without the care I received.”

AHS will continue to closely monitor the program with a focus on improving patient access to emergency care, supporting rural healthcare teams and strengthening the stability of emergency departments across the province.

If additional facilities or communities require support, the VEP program will review each situation and may expand where appropriate.

Alberta Health Services provides acute care services for more than five million Albertans at hospitals, urgent care centres, and health centres across the province. Our mission is to provide excellent and accessible patient-focused healthcare for all Albertans. Our current focus is on reducing emergency department wait times, increasing access to surgeries and improving patient flow.