Emergency Care and Trauma Telemedicine Services

Following any major traumatic injury, time is of the essence. For patients located outside of Pittsburgh, UPMC's Teletrauma Program brings world-class trauma physicians to their local emergency departments.

We provide:

• Trauma evaluations and specialized assessments for patients in remote areas
• Assistance with triage decisions
• Help identifying candidates for admission to local facilities, eliminating unnecessary transfers

Benefits of Teletrauma

As with any telemedicine program, the goal is to allow patients to receive timely treatment close to their homes.

Without a telemedicine system in place, emergency department staff often make the decision to transfer patients to a higher-level trauma center farther away, delaying timely treatment. Through the UPMC Teletrauma Program, we can help with more accurate and efficient transfer decisions.

In addition, UPMC trauma physicians use videoconferencing equipment in emergency departments at community hospitals to:

• Examine patients with traumatic injuries
• Communicate with patients and medical staff
• Recommend a plan of care

The real-time video evaluation enhances the ability of trauma specialists at UPMC to render timely and effective treatment.

Learning Opportunities for Community Health Care Providers

In addition to emergency care and trauma teleservices, the UPMC Teletrauma Program gives referring physicians and providers at community hospitals opportunities to:

• Interact and collaborate with UPMC specialists in a face-to-face manner, without having to travel to Pittsburgh
• Learn from UPMC faculty on specific trauma cases and draw on that knowledge for treating future cases without hesitation

Learn More

• Get answers to frequently asked questions about telemedicine.
• Contact us about teletrauma services at UPMC.
• Learn more about UPMC's Emergency Medicine and Trauma Services.

Check out these telemedicine news stories that mention teletrauma and emergency telemedicine:

• Doctor, Can You See Me Now? More Hospitals Are Using Video to Connect Patients With Specialists Far Away, Speeding Treatment from The Wall Street Journal.