Context: The Edmonton Zone Virtual Hospital and Calgary Zone Complex Care Hub have enjoyed successful trials and are now expanding in their respective zones. They offer person-centered, technology-enabled, integrated “whole of system” modes of care for individuals living with chronic and complex health conditions. Patients admitted to "virtual beds" at home have access to more frequent tracking and monitoring of health functions, with surveillance by the multidisciplinary VH team.
Answer: Patients can be referred from outpatient clinics, emergency rooms and inpatient settings. Note that the label for the appropriate Connect Care order differs depending on context (but is still found with "virtual hospital" as the search term):
- Inpatient Order = “Inpatient Consult to EZ Virtual Hospital”
- Emergency Room Order = “Inpatient Consult to EZ Virtual Hospital” (if intent is for patient to be seen before leaving ER)
- Emergency Room Order for outpatient followup = External Order Tab “Ambulatory Referral to Home Based Acute Care” (if intent is for patient to be reviewed after leaving the ER)
- Outpatient Order = “Ambulatory Referral to Home Based Acute Care”