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April 2, 2024

Tele emergency care saves you time!

Need care, but not sure where? With VISN 4 Tele Emergency Care, help is just a phone call away! 

When health issues arise, knowing what kind of care you need can be confusing. Primary care offices, specialists, urgent care centers and emergency departments offer different levels of care. So where should you go?

Simply call 1-833-835-3874 to speak with a nurse and get helpful advice 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Our team of experienced nurses and emergency medicine providers will quickly assess your needs and recommend the most appropriate care for your condition. In some cases, a quick phone or video appointment can get your health back on track! Best of all, we coordinate with your primary care physician and specialists to make sure your follow up needs are covered.

How does it work?

Veterans receiving health care at VA medical centers throughout VISN 4 can call your main VA medical center and select Option 3 or dial 1-833-835-3874 to speak to a nurse 24/7. There is no appointment necessary and no copayment for your visit.

If your condition can be safely treated virtually, our Tele Emergency Care providers are available 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. 365 days/year to offer rapid phone or video visits. If an in-person visit is necessary, we can recommend the most appropriate level of care for your unique needs.

Tele Emergency Care supports but does not replace in-person care. If you believe that your condition is life threatening, call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency department. 

To learn more about Tele Emergency Care, visit www.visn4.va.gov/tele-urgent

Conditions that can be managed virtually

Let us help you get the right care! Many conditions can be safely managed with a virtual visit or rapid appointment with our providers without needing a visit to an emergency department:

• Cough, cold, flu and COVID symptoms
• Sore throat
• COPD and asthma flares
• Eye redness & irritation
• Tick and other insect bites
• Rashes
• Skin infections
• Minor allergic reactions
• GI illness
• Urinary tract infections
• Gout flares
• Muscle sprains/strains

Not sure what kind of care you need? A quick call to our triage nurses can help!

About VA Healthcare-VISN 4

VA Healthcare–VISN 4 is a fully integrated network of 9 VA campuses, 46 outpatient clinics, and 16 vet centers covering 83 counties in Pennsylvania and Delaware and parts of Ohio, West Virginia, New York and New Jersey.

In fiscal year 2023, VISN 4 served 315,699 patients from across the Nation. With a staff of 18,024 and an operating budget of more than $3.5 billion, VISN 4 is working hard to transform toward personalized, proactive, patient-driven health care.

VA health care covers care for your physical and mental health. This includes a range of services from checkups to surgeries to home health care. It also includes prescriptions and medical equipment.