A novel use of telemedicine during a hospital mass casualty drill

Abstract

During a mass casualty disaster drill at NewYork-Presbyterian’s Lower Manhattan Hospital in April 2019, the Emergency Department (ED) used telemedicine to see low-acuity ‘walking wounded’ patients. This telemedicine service is provided every day as ED Express Care Service and staffed by off-site, board-certified Emergency Medicine attending physicians. This novel use of the ED Express Care Service allowed the ED to provide timely, safe, quality care while expanding resources and ED capacity through rapid assessment, treatment and discharge of the low-acuity patients.