How Med-Care EMS is providing faster and more effective care to their patients using Telemedicine. 

Byline: Faith Chua  

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a period where health care workers had to be stretched thin, and not all patients could go to hospitals and clinics due to the risk of exposure to the COVID virus. So, this caused a need for patients to meet with their physicians and still get the care they needed without risking their health. Even now, telemedicine has become a great cost-effective alternative and allows many patients to receive healthcare without having to travel great distances to be seen by a physician or practitioner.  

Initially, telemedicine targeted at patients who required frequent consultations with their physician due to a chronic condition, such as diabetes or hypertension; however, telemedicine has evolved past this primary function. We are now seeing it implemented with patients who need care as soon as possible. Patients can now see the physicians while en route to the emergency room, allowing responders to provide better care to the patient and increase the patient’s chances of survival and recovery. The opportunity becomes especially crucial to patients who have to travel greater distances, such as going from Monte Cristo to their primary hospital in McAllen. The faster care also means that some health emergencies like a patient experiencing a stroke or heart attack have a higher chance of survival and a better recovery.  

Med-Care EMS is currently the only ambulance company to have en-route telemedicine. Since responders can call the physicians from the ambulance, they are instructed to do specific procedures that would typically be out of their scope of practice. Since the physician or practitioner is “present,” the medical responders can provide more extensive care under their instructions. 

No matter where you are or how far you need to go, distance should not compromise the level of healthcare you receive. Whether you live in Edinburg, McAllen, Harlingen, or even Brownsville, Med-Care EMS continually strives to provide the best care to their patients throughout the Rio Grande Valley and always looks to make their care more effective and efficient. Telemedicine is only one of the many methods they employ to achieve that standard of care. To learn more, visit their Facebook and Instagram or call them at: (956) 668-9111.