Detroit VA Medical Center now offers Tele-Emergency Care services for local enrolled Veterans

Enrolled Veterans can access this new service by dialing the Detroit VA Medical Center at and pressing “3,” effective immediately. Medical triage staff are available 24/7 and will guide the Veteran to the appropriate level of care, including tele-emergency care. Tele-emergency care (tele-EC) offers Veterans many of the same services they can receive in a traditional emergency room, but from the comfort of their own home. This helps prevent the Veteran from having to drive in, potentially wait for hours in a waiting room, minimizes exposure to illnesses from other patients, etc. There is also no co-pay for these services. Further, choosing to utilize the VA for emergency care, whether through the tele-EC or in-person services, ensures a smooth continuity of care as the Veteran’s medical providers will already have access to the Veteran’s full medical record.

While Veterans with life-or-limb-threatening injuries or illnesses should go to an in-person emergency room or call 911, tele-EC can serve Veterans with a wide variety of conditions, including:

· Cough, cold, flu, and COVID symptoms

· Sore throats

· COPD and asthma flares

· Eye redness and irritation

· Tick and other insect bites

· Skin infections

· Minor allergic reactions

· GI illnesses

· Urinary tract infections

· Gout flares

· Muscle sprains/strains