Implementing virtual urgent care services in emergency departments: a multi-site focus group study of adaptation and sustainability
Findings indicate that VUNS should be scaled cautiously within current sites, addressing identified challenges before spreading to new locations. Lessons learned stress the importance of staff engagement, clear workflows, and patient education. These findings provide a roadmap for refining VUNS operations and contribute to the broader discourse on scaling digital healthcare innovations and streamlining patient flow in EDs.
Authors
- Janet B. Sommers
- Mark Embrett (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3969-0219)
- Sophia Salmaniw
- Tanya Penney
- Prosper Koto
- Joanne Sanford
- Sam Petrie
Institutions
- Dalhousie University (CA)
- Nova Scotia Health Authority (CA)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine
- Published
- 2026-03-26
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s43678-026-01109-2
- Primary Topic
- Emergency and Acute Care Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00