Advancing Pediatric Emergency Care Through Virtual Clinics

Background: Telemedicine involves remote communication between patients and healthcare providers throughvarious information technology methods. Literature reviews have shown that virtual emergency clinics save time and costs compared with in-person visits, while reducing commuting expenses. These findings underscore the increasing demand for accessible healthcare and highlight technological advancements in telemedicine applications in emergency settings. The aim of the study was to describe the feasibility, utilization rate, and satisfaction associated with using the pediatric virtual emergency clinic at King Abdullah Specialized Children’s Hospital (KASCH). Methods: This descriptive study was conducted based on the RE-AIM framework (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance), which guided data collection and variable analysis. Results: During the study period, 1,663 pediatric patients visited the virtual clinic. The mean, median, and modal ages were 5.5, 5, and 3 years, respectively. Slightly more patients were male (54.1%) than female (45.6%). Triage according to the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS) showed that most patients were classified at level 4 (75.2%), 14.4 % at level 3, 10.3% at level 5, and 0.1% at level 2. The most common complaints were fever (14.4%), cough (10.7%), rashes (9.2%), and non-specific issues (18.7%). Approximately 65.8% of visits resulted in discharge from the virtual clinic, with 54.4% of patients discharged without medication. Approximately 25.4% of patients were referred from the virtual clinic to the emergency room (ER) for clinical evaluation or laboratory tests, 5.1% were referred to other services, and only 3.7% visited the ER within 72 hours post-telemedicine visit. Of these, 93.5% were discharged from the ER. Parent satisfaction rates ranged from 81.7% to 99%, and agreement with virtual care plans ranged from 82% to 98%. Healthcare providers reported favorable experiences: 66% very positive, 29% somewhat positive, and only 2% negative. Conclusions: The implementation of telemedicine in pediatric emergency care proved feasible and beneficial. It improved patient flow, reduced unnecessary hospital visits, and alleviated ER overcrowding. The virtual clinic effectively managed CTAS level 4 cases, with the aim of further reducing ER visits by 20%. These findings support the integration of telemedicine into pediatric emergency services to enhance care delivery.