Geriatric ED uses telemedicine to support rural hospitals

A new geriatric emergency department (GED) at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., will support four rural hospitals using telemedicine. The effort is part of a three-year program begun in the fall of 2019. The GED will be the first to use telemedicine to extend care to rural sites, and benefits are expected to be three-fold. Older patients will receive high-quality care close to home; the four rural hospitals will experience reduced patient transfers; and the hub GED at Dartmouth-Hitchcock will be able to keep more beds open for high-acuity patients. (HealthLeaders Media story, 3/4/10)