to create a new service offering in addition to the tele-stroke programme focused on providing consultative care to rural emergency departments . In January 2020 , Wellstar MCG Health launched its tele-ER to ER programme focused on providing consultative care to rural hospitals in their Emergency Department from WMCGH . “ However as COVID-19 evolved in Georgia , our newly formed programme evolved with it ,” Hopkins says . “ In July 2020 , we added the inpatient consultative component to the programme so patients can be treated from triage and admission through discharge for rural hospitals in Georgia . This program enabled rural hospitals to keep and treat more complex patients during the COVID-19 pandemic . As COVID-19 began to slow in 2022 and 2023 , the rural hospitals were able to still use their enhanced skills they focused on during the pandemic to treat more complex patients . This programme focuses on improving rural hospital ’ s transfer rates and financial viability by keeping patients in their rural community .” As of today , Wellstar MCG Health has sixteen hospitals in the rural virtual care network and are continuously growing to continue helping rural hospitals sustainability and health outcomes .
While this programme is now the largest component of services provided , Wellstar
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