Real-Time Virtual Support (RTVS)
RTVS Pathways
Why RTVS?
Real-Time Virtual Support (RTVS) offers in-time clinical support to care providers and patients to enhance patient care. Multiple specialized RTVS services (called pathways), have been developed. These pathways are new ways to remotely guide patients’ decisions to go to the ED and to support rural practitioners in the care of patients in the emergency department.
Imagine one emergency department in BC with all emergency settings connected virtually. RTVS is an entry point to this virtual emergency department. It provides instant peer support and patient care anywhere in the province. Care providers in need can call their remote colleagues to get guidance and support for optimum patient management.
Emergency Care BC (as BC Emergency Medicine Network) played a leadership role in advocating for and developing many RTVS pathways. The RTVS programs are made possible through collaboration between the Rural Coordination Center of BC, Emergency Care BC, the First Nations Health Authority, HealthlinkBC and the Ministry of health.
For updates on all RTVS pathways, visit the Rural Coordination Centre of BC website.
Our Role
ECBC works closely with Emergency Medicine partners to support RTVS pathways: RUDi, MaBAL, CHARLiE, VERRa, ROCCi and HEiDi.
The broad RTVS program is a partnership between the Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc), First Nations Health Authority (FNHA), HealthLink BC, ECBC and UBC Digital EM team through funding provided by the Joint Standing Committee on Rural Issues (JSC) and the Ministry of Health Primary Care Division.
For updates on all RTVS peer pathways, including Emergency Medicine pathways RUDi and VERRa, visit the Rural Coordination Centre of BC website.
Visit our HEIDi page for more details about HEIDi.
Evaluation
The Real-Time Virtual Support Program is evaluated by a Learning Health System team within UBC’s Digital Emergency Medicine department.
The primary funders of the evaluation are the BC Ministry of Health and the Rural Coordination Centre of BC. The RTVS evaluation team also acknowledges additional financial and in-kind support from Michael Smith Health Research BC, ECBC and UBC Department of Emergency Medicine.
RTVS Peer Pathways
Rural Urgent Doctors in-aid (RUDi)
The RUDi pathway provides peer-to-peer support for care providers facing emergency cases across BC. RUDi is staffed by physicians with emergency medicine and rural experience. The pathway is available 24/7 by Zoom and phone.
Support includes:
- reviewing a case;
- providing collaborative support in emergency care;
- providing *MRP support to nurses working in remote communities;
- running through simulation scenarios;
- helping to navigate the healthcare system including patient transfer;
- assisting you to link with specialists or other pathway providers where appropriate;
- other situations as needed by rural providers.
RUDi is available through Zoom contact: rudi1@rccbc.ca or by phone at 236-305-9302.
Learn more about RUDi at RCCbc.ca. RUDi is co-led by Dr. Jeff Beselt and Dr. Matt Petrie.
Child Health Advice in Real-Time Electronically (CHARLiE)
The CHARLiE support pathway provides peer-to-peer support for providers with pediatric patients. CHARLiE is staffed by pediatricians, pediatric emergency physicians, and pediatric intensivists. CHARLiE is available 24/7 by Zoom and phone.
Support includes:
- reviewing a case;
- helping to navigate the healthcare system including patient transfer;
- carrying out a full consult over Zoom;
- providing collaborative support;
- running through simulation scenarios;
- other situations as needed by rural providers.
CHARLiE is available through Zoom contact: charlie1@rccbc.ca or by phone at 236-305-5352.
Learn more about CHARLiE at RCCbc.ca. The CHARLiE pathway is co-led by Dr. Arthur Cogswell and Dr. Melissa Paquette.
Maternity and Babies Advice Line (MaBAL)
The MaBAL support pathway provides peer-to-peer support for rural providers facing urgent and non-urgent pre-conception, prenatal, antenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum presentations, for both moms and newborns. MaBAL is staffed by family physicians with expertise in maternal and newborn care, with an understanding of rural and cultural contexts. MaBAL is available 24/7 by Zoom or phone.
Support includes:
- reviewing a case;
- helping to navigate the healthcare system including patient transport;
- providing collaborative support;
- infant nutrition help;
- interpreting test results;
- running through simulation scenarios;
- women’s health;
- other situations as needed by rural providers.
MaBAL is available through Zoom contact: mabal1@rccbc.ca or by phone 236-305-7364.
Learn more about MaBAL at RCCbc.ca. MaBAL is co-led by Dr. Amy Sawchuk and Dr. Keeve de Villiers.
Rural Outreach in Critical Care and Internal Medicine (ROCCi)
The ROCCi team includes rural internists and intensivists. The pathway provides peer-to-peer internal medicine and critical care support that is tailored specifically for rural healthcare providers. The pathway is available from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Pacific Time seven days a week.
Support includes:
- help with assessment and stabilization of critically ill patients;
- internal medicine assessment;
- help with procedures;
- a second set of eyes;
- help in navigating the healthcare system including patient transfer;
- providing collaborative support;
- other situations as needed by rural providers
ROCCi available through Zoom contact: rocci@rtvs-bc.ca or by phone at 604-256-2728.
Learn more about ROCCi at RCCbc.ca. ROCCi is led by Dr. Scot Mountain.
Virtual Emergency Room Rural assistance (VERRa)
VERRa (Virtual Emergency Room Rural assistance) is the RTVS pathway that provides overnight virtual emergency department (ED) support to a rural ED that would otherwise potentially go on diversion. Unlike the other RTVS pathways, VERRa only operates overnight and is dedicated to supporting small rural emergency departments who are experiencing staffing shortages. The virtual emergency medicine physicians on shift for VERRa will use Zoom to work closely with a nursing team at a small ED to support lower acuity visits so that the on-call doctor in community can get some rest. The coverage is planned in advance.
Support is tailored to each site but could include:
- Assessing, diagnosing, and managing patients who present to the ED overnight.
- Safely assisting on-the-ground nursing staff with admitted patients.
- Decision-making on when a local doctor needs to be called in.
- Other situations as needed by rural providers.
VERRa is co-led by Dr. Brydon Blacklaws and Dr. Caroline Walker.
For more information, check out this FAQ page. The team can be reached at virtual@rtvs-bc.ca.
Real-Time Virtual Support significantly decreases the stress and anxiety and the frustration in getting help. That changes your whole way of practicing, your quality of life as a person, and just being able to share the responsibility as well.
