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 (313) 576-1000 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