Telemedicine reduces wait times at Cruzeiro do Sul Emergency Care

Telemedicine services at the Cruzeiro do Sul Emergency Care Unit (PACS) have significantly reduced waiting times for low-severity patients. During its first month of operation, patients classified as blue or green under the Manchester Protocol experienced an average wait time of only 4 minutes and 32 seconds between risk classification and the start of their medical consultation.

Implemented by the Municipal Health Secretariat in partnership with Hospital Moinhos de Vento, the service conducted 148 teleconsultations between August 4 and September 2, achieving a resolution rate of 95.27%. The initiative aims to streamline the Unified Health System (SUS) by allowing in-person medical teams to focus on more urgent cases while providing rapid care for less critical needs. Patients reported high satisfaction, with an average rating of 9.1 out of 10.