SIOUX FALLS, SD / ACCESS Newswire / December 9, 2025 / When a medical emergency happens in rural America, distance, staffing shortages, and fragmented communication can stand between a patient and timely care. Avel eCare is addressing those challenges through its Multipoint EMS Collaboration Model, a virtual care system that connects EMS personnel, Avel’s emergency board-certified physicians and hospital emergency teams from the scene through arrival at the hospital.
Designed to strengthen the Golden Hour, the model ensures patients receive continuous, coordinated care without the traditional gaps between prehospital and emergency department care.
When an EMS crew activates Avel, a dedicated virtual team, led by experienced paramedics and nurses, while supported by board-certified emergency physicians, joins the call and stays connected through transport and ED handoff. This allows earlier hospital situational awareness, stronger field-to-hospital continuity, expedited care upon arrival, and ultimately better outcomes.
Faster Care, Stronger Rural Systems
Multipoint EMS collaboration helps rural health systems and Critical Access Hospitals improve both patient care and operational efficiency by enabling:
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Earlier clinical intervention and decision support
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Real-time support for EMS personnel during high-acuity calls
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Seamless communication between EMS and emergency departments
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Reduced documentation and coordination burden on field staff
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Faster activation of trauma, cardiac, and stroke systems of care
The model aligns with national rural health priorities, supporting organizations pursuing funding and innovation through programs like the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) and future federal initiatives.
“Our goal is to support, not replace, the rural EMS workforce,” said Becky VandeKieft, Vice President and General Manager for Emergency and EMS Services at Avel eCare. “By connecting EMS with EMS clinicians virtually, we help them deliver faster, safer care while reducing the operational strain they face every day.”
Proven in the Field
Agencies using the model are already seeing its impact.
“In a rural county like ours, every decision in the field counts,” said Kassy DeWitt, Phillips County (KS) EMS. “Having Avel’s team connected during a call helps us move from transport to active care faster. It gives our crews confidence and improves continuity for our patients and hospital partners.”
Rural Care, Reimagined
Avel’s model strengthens existing EMS and hospital systems by providing continuous virtual clinical and operational support, from scene to hospital, helping create what the company calls a rural health dividend through improved patient outcomes, workforce support, and system sustainability.
About Avel eCare
Founded in 1993 as the nation’s first virtual hospital, Avel eCare provides virtual emergency, EMS, critical care, pharmacy, clinic, senior care, and behavioral health services to healthcare partners across the U.S. The organization specializes in expanding access, improving outcomes, and supporting care delivery in rural and underserved communities.
Contact:
Jessica Gaikowski, Director of Marketing & Communications
media@avelecare.com | 605.606.0150
SOURCE: Avel eCare
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