|
| Case | Chief complaint | Reason for FCR failure | Telemedicine modality used | Case outcome |
|
| 1 | Calf pain | Persistent pain and no clinic appointment available | Telephone | Seen at VA ED; diagnosed with plantaris muscle strain; and discharged home |
| 2 | Athlete’s foot | Patient hung up and was not able to be reached within 24 hours | Telephone | Patient reached >24 hours later and advised |
| 3 | Body pain | Patient requested face-to-face clinic appointment | Video | Patient seen in primary care clinic within 72 hours |
| 4 | Toe pain | Inability to evaluate toe due to patient-side technical difficulties setting up video visit | Telephone | Planned for podiatry appointment, but none available; so, ultimately seen in VA ED |
| 5 | Finger pain | Diagnosed with early paronychia which progressed to need for drainage | Video | Seen in community ED for incision and drainage and discharged home |
| 6 | Toenail problem | Unable to arrange expedient follow-up with primary care or podiatry within 72 hours | Video | Prescribed oral antibiotics for likely infected toe wound and seen by primary care nurse within 1 week |
| 7 | Constipation | Not assigned to primary care team and thus recommended to present to ED for expedited workup | Telephone | Seen in VA ED, treated for constipation with laxatives, and referred for colonoscopy for new diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia |
| 8 | Abdominal cramps | Not assigned to primary care team and no new patient appointment available within 72 hours | Video | Seen in community ED and diagnosed with functional abdominal pain |
| 9 | Blood in stool | Unable to be connected by phone with patient | Telephone | Seen in primary care clinic and triaged to self-care by nurse |
| 10 | Leg pain | Patient presented to the ED before video visit was able to be arranged | N/A | Seen in VA ED; diagnosed with superficial peroneal nerve compression; and discharged home |
| 11 | Abdominal pain and diarrhea | Difficulty with clinical assessment over phone | Telephone | Seen in community ED |
| 12 | Toe pain | Unable to evaluate toe by video and high risk for diabetic foot infection | Telephone | Referred to community ED where he was admitted for diabetic foot infection |
|
