Table 1: Utilization Indicators.
Key Indicator Comment
Utilization
Total Consults (#) 142 Majority of the consultations were done during ‘normal’ walk-in clinic hours. About 12.5% of the consultations were done overnight. It is evident that the virtual healthcare provided participants with opportunities to easily access healthcare overnight and ease the burden of visiting emergency rooms, which are the only available services in these hours. The high frequency of use during hours where face-to-face services are available suggests that virtual care can reduce in-person traffic and capacity issues at busy locations by distributing these services to available physicians, regardless of their location. Data also indicates a demand for alternative ways to access physicians during normal business hours.
Weekday (7am – Midnight EST) 91
Weekend / Holiday (7am – Midnight EST) 33
Overnight (Midnight – 7am EST) 18
Consultation Data
Average Wait Time- 3 minutes Patients typically drive or take public transit to walk-in clinics and the wait times in Alberta can be more than one hour. In this project, participants’ average wait time was less than two minutes. Not only would virtual services save time and money for patients, it has a potential of reducing the load in walk-in clinics and emergency rooms.
Average Consult Length- 16.7 minutes
Prescriptions Ordered (#) 107
Medical Notes Written (#) 9
Lab Requisitions (#) 21
Ratings / Feedback
Average Satisfaction (out of 5 stars) 4.8 stars It was evident from the ratings that participants were satisfied with the virtual healthcare services.