May 04, 2023
Medical providers in rural and remote communities are overworked, but they are getting virtual help.
A young driver is involved in a horrific car crash in a remote region of the province during the middle of the night. Suffering from traumatic life-threatening injuries, the driver is taken to the nearest medical facility to be stabilized until a medevac to a hospital is available.
At the remote location is a new doctor who has only been at the station for six months. While the doctor is the only one physically with the patient, they are not alone. Real-Time Virtual Support (RTVS) Peer Pathways are there to help. RTVS connects the rookie doctor to a dedicated peer physician who provides advice and support via phone or video call.
The patient is stabilized and is able to be transported for more advanced care, saving their life. Just as important as saving the patient’s life is that the lone doctor was able to access critical support to do their work. That incident may have left an unsupported and less experienced doctor so traumatized that they would leave their remote posting as soon as they could.