Author: Avel eCare

By Mandy Bell, Vice President of Product Innovation, Avel eCare

SIOUX FALLS, SD / ACCESS Newswire / December 17, 2025 / If you’ve never seen telemedicine in action, it may sound simple – a clinician and a video connection. But the reality is far more powerful. At Avel eCare, our Virtual Health System combines advanced technology, seamless integration, and human expertise to deliver care anywhere it’s needed – from an ICU bedside to an ambulance speeding down a rural highway.

Inside that ambulance, a high-definition camera, microphone, and monitor link paramedics to Avel’s board-certified emergency physicians. We can see the patient, the monitors, even the paramedics’ hands as they work, and guide them in real time. In hospital emergency rooms, our cameras pan and zoom to view the entire room, allowing our remote physicians and nurses to assist directly at the bedside. In intensive care units, we connect to ventilator data, bedside monitors, and electronic health records to track vitals and trends second by second – documenting directly into the same chart the local team uses.

Our pharmacists continuously monitor medication orders, flagging potential interactions before they become problems. Our behavioral health teams use secure telehealth technology in police cruisers to connect first responders and psychiatric providers during mental health emergencies. Even in rural schools and nursing homes, our clinicians can be present virtually at the touch of a button.

This is what a Virtual Health System looks like – a seamless network of clinicians, technology, and data designed to extend expert care to every corner of the country. It’s healthcare that never clocks out, never closes for weather, and never leaves a patient without help.

But technology is just the tool. People are the purpose.
That’s the philosophy guiding every innovation at Avel eCare. Our mission is not to replace clinicians – it’s to support them. Every nurse, paramedic, and physician who activates an Avel connection gains a partner who lightens the load. Behind every camera feed and digital chart is a team of seasoned specialists whose only goal is to make sure care is safe, timely, and effective.

For more than 30 years, Avel has operated as a Virtual Health System, partnering with hospitals, health systems, schools, nursing homes, and first-response agencies nationwide. From emergency departments to ICUs, we provide around-the-clock access to experts who help communities deliver the right care at the right time – without unnecessary transfers or costly staffing gaps.

We do this by weaving telemedicine into the fabric of everyday care. When seconds count, a single button press can connect a rural ER to a board-certified emergency physician. When an ICU needs extra support, our intensivists monitor patients continuously, using real-time data and integrated alerts to spot early signs of decline. When a pharmacist is off-shift, our remote pharmacy team keeps an eye on medication orders, protecting patients and preserving resources.

At its core, this work is about access.
Access for patients to receive high-quality care close to home.
Access for clinicians to the expertise they need, when they need it.
Access for health systems to reliable, scalable solutions that strengthen – not strain – their teams.

The American healthcare system is under immense pressure. Rural hospitals are closing at record rates, urban hospitals are stretched thin, and caregivers everywhere are asked to do more with less. We have the tools to change that – right now.

Technology alone cannot save healthcare. But technology applied with purpose and partnership can. Avel eCare’s innovation lies not in gadgets, but in reliability – in ensuring the connection works every time. In our Innovation Lab, we test every camera, every integration, every workflow, because failure is not an option when lives depend on it.

If you lead a hospital, let’s explore how virtual care can strengthen your teams and sustain your community.
If you serve in government, let’s make these proven solutions accessible in every state.
If you’re part of a healthcare team, know that help is closer than you think – and that you never have to face the next emergency alone.

The technology is ready. The expertise is proven. The results are real.
You can help us provide access to care for every patient everywhere.

Innovation is here. The time to act is now.

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

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

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:

• Earlier clinical intervention and decision support

• Real-time support for EMS personnel during high-acuity calls

• Seamless communication between EMS and emergency departments

• Reduced documentation and coordination burden on field staff

• 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

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

SIOUX FALLS, SD / ACCESS Newswire / December 2, 2025 / Avel eCare is pleased to announce the appointment of Pat Gundersen as its new Chief Revenue Officer, bringing more than twenty years of leadership experience in healthcare, healthcare technology, and go-to-market strategy.

Gundersen is a seasoned C-Suite leader known for building high-performing teams, strengthening client relationships, and accelerating growth for healthcare technology and service organizations. His background includes guiding sales, client success, and strategic partnership functions while helping companies expand their market presence in an evolving healthcare landscape.

Throughout his career, Gundersen has demonstrated a talent for uniting clinical, operational, and commercial teams around shared goals. He is recognized for:

• GTM strategy and execution that helps organizations launch new offerings with clarity and confidence

• Strategic partnerships that advance innovation and improve customer outcomes

• Client retention frameworks built around strong relationships and consultative support

• Cross-functional collaboration with product, marketing, and clinical leaders to align solutions with customer needs

• Data-driven decision making that sharpens forecasting, strengthens revenue planning, and elevates market differentiation

• Mergers and acquisitions leadership, including the integration of multiple acquisition partners and participation in complex organizational transitions

“Pat brings a rare combination of strategic insight, operational depth, and a deep understanding of the healthcare environment,” said Doug Duskin, Chief Executive Officer of Avel eCare. “His ability to cultivate strong client partnerships and grow teams aligns perfectly with our mission to support hospitals, clinics, EMS teams, and communities nationwide.”

Gundersen joins Avel at a time of continued expansion across its ten telemedicine service lines, including emergency, behavioral health, virtual nursing, ICU, pharmacy, school health, and more. His leadership will help accelerate Avel’s work to advance access to care, support overburdened clinical teams, and deliver reliable, patient-centered telemedicine.

“I have long admired Avel’s commitment to serving clinicians and patients in the moments that matter most,” said Gundersen. “The team’s culture, innovation, and dedication to quality set the standard for virtual care. I am excited to help expand this impact and support the partners who rely on Avel every day.”

Gundersen will oversee revenue strategy, business development, client management, and the continued growth of Avel’s national footprint.

About Avel eCare
Avel eCare is a proven telemedicine partner that supports healthcare teams with reliable, real-time clinical expertise. With more than thirty years of experience delivering virtual care, Avel provides hospitals, clinics, EMS agencies, schools, and long-term care facilities with immediate access to board-certified physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, pharmacists, and behavioral health experts. Avel’s ten service lines help reduce transfers, support clinicians, enhance patient outcomes, and bring high-quality care to communities across the nation. Learn more at www.avelecare.com.

Contact:

Jessica Gaikowski, Director of Marketing & Communications
media@avelecare.com | 605.606.0150

Learn more at www.avelecare.com

SOURCE: Avel eCare

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

SIOUX FALLS, SD / ACCESS Newswire / November 18, 2025 / Avel eCare announced a landmark achievement this week as its Specialty Clinic service line officially surpassed 100,000 patient encounters – marking a major milestone in the company’s mission to deliver equitable specialty care to rural, remote, and underserved communities across the United States.

Launched in 2017, Avel eCare Specialty Clinic provides virtual access to specialists in cardiology, psychiatry, dermatology, endocrinology, rheumatology, and more. The service has transformed access to care for thousands of patients in rural and underserved areas, helping health systems expand specialty access and improve outcomes through innovative virtual care delivery.

“Reaching 100,000 patient encounters represents far more than a number – it represents lives changed,” said Dr. Kelly Rhone, Chief Medical Officer at Avel eCare. “Each encounter is a moment where a patient receives timely, expert care that might otherwise have been out of reach. We’re honored to serve as a trusted partner for clinicians and patients across the country.”

Through Avel eCare Specialty Clinic, patients gain access to trusted specialists without leaving their local facilities, saving time, reducing costs, and improving outcomes. Hospitals and health systems benefit from expanded coverage, workforce stabilization, and real-time scheduling that helps reduce no-show rates.

Since its inception, Avel’s Specialty Clinic team has become a proof-of-concept for how the Virtual Health System can drive lasting health equity, delivering measurable improvements in access, satisfaction, and clinical outcomes:

• 100,000+ patient encounters delivered virtually

• Five states served through long-term partnerships with Tribal Health organizations

• Significant reductions in travel time and costs for rural patients

“This milestone demonstrates what’s possible when innovation meets compassion,” said Doug Duskin, Chief Executive Officer at Avel eCare. “We’ve shown that telemedicine isn’t just a backup option – it’s a proven, effective model of care that strengthens communities, supports clinicians, and saves lives.”

“Behind every one of those 100,000 encounters is a story of access, connection, and collaboration,” said Rachel Dybvig, MBA, Director of Avel eCare Specialty Clinic. “Our providers have built meaningful, ongoing relationships with patients who now have consistent access to specialty care – many for the first time in their lives. That’s the real impact of this milestone.”

Avel eCare’s Specialty Clinic remains committed to advancing equitable access to specialty care, with ongoing growth across new specialties and regions. The program continues to expand its impact through collaboration with hospitals, clinics, and health systems nationwide – redefining what’s possible in virtual clinical care.

About Avel eCare

Avel eCare is one of the nation’s longest-standing telemedicine providers and a pioneer in the development of the Virtual Health System model. For more than 30 years, Avel has delivered high-quality, technology-enabled care across a wide range of clinical specialties, including emergency and critical care, behavioral health, pharmacy, and specialty medicine. Guided by a mission to improve access, quality, and equity of care, Avel eCare continues to lead the way in transforming how healthcare is delivered, wherever patients and providers need support.

Contact:

Jessica Gaikowski, Director of Marketing & Communications
media@avelecare.com | 605.606.0150

Learn more at www.avelecare.com

SOURCE: Avel eCare

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

SIOUX FALLS, SD / ACCESS Newswire / October 9, 2025 / Across the country, the signs are clear – hospitals are closing beds, urgent care centers are cutting hours, and entire communities are losing access to critical services. It’s happening in rural towns and large metro areas alike. Provider shortages are accelerating. Financial pressures are mounting. And when a hospital closes its doors, patients don’t just lose a building – they lose the safety net that keeps communities alive.

The solution isn’t a patchwork of one-off fixes. It’s a fundamental shift in how we deliver care.

At Avel eCare, we’ve built something different from what most people think of when they hear “telemedicine.” We are not a single-service vendor who disappears after a quick virtual visit. We are a fully integrated Virtual Health System – designed to take a patient from admission through discharge, regardless of bed size, location, or complexity of care.

From the moment a patient arrives in the emergency department, to inpatient monitoring, pharmacy orders, ICU care, specialty consults, and follow-up after discharge – we are there. We deliver consistent, high-quality care through a combination of technology-enabled workflows and an experienced, board-certified clinical team. It’s not just a video call. It’s a system.

And it works.

Hospitals that partner with Avel see measurable results:

• Faster, better care – For example, our ICU service has helped reduce length of stay by an average of 1.75 days and cut time on ventilators by 13 hours per patient.

• Stronger financial stability – Many partners see a 10-to-1 return on investment, avoiding costly locum contracts and keeping more patients – and revenue – local.

• Staff support that drives retention – Whether it’s an emergency airway at 2 a.m. or a behavioral health crisis in a school, our clinicians give local teams the backup they need to work at the top of their license, with confidence and consistency.

We’re also redefining where care can happen. We’ve brought real-time physician and nurse support into the back of ambulances, into correctional facilities, and onto school campuses. Our partners in Nebraska, for example, have equipped more than 65 rural ambulances with our telehealth platform, virtually connecting volunteer EMTs with board-certified emergency physicians in minutes. The result: better outcomes, faster decisions, and stronger recruitment and retention for local EMS agencies.

What sets us apart isn’t just our technology – it’s how we use it. Our proprietary workflow platform allows our clinicians to move seamlessly between service lines, focusing on diagnosis and treatment rather than administrative tasks. We integrate directly into our partners’ electronic medical records, creating a single, streamlined source of truth for every patient encounter.

But technology alone doesn’t save lives. People do. Our 600+ physicians, nurses, and specialists are the backbone of this model. They’re experienced in the highest-acuity environments, but they also understand the realities of caring for a patient in a two-bed ER or a remote farming community. They’re not just consultants – they’re teammates, invested in the mission of keeping hospitals open and communities healthy.

Healthcare should not be determined by your ZIP code. Every patient – from rural South Dakota to downtown Boston – deserves access to the same standard of care. That’s what a true Virtual Health System delivers.

This is not a someday solution. It’s here now. And it’s the model that will keep doors open, stabilize our healthcare workforce, and ensure that quality care is available anywhere it’s needed.

The challenges are real. But so is the opportunity. We’ve proven that a fully integrated, technology-enabled, clinically led health system can thrive – and help others do the same. Now, it’s time for communities, health systems, and policymakers to think bigger, act faster, and partner in ways that ensure no hospital stands alone.

Because when care is always there, hospitals stay open, providers stay supported, and lives are saved.

Media Contact:

Jessica Gaikowski
Avel eCare
media@avelecare.com

SOURCE: Avel eCare

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

SIOUX FALLS, SD / ACCESS Newswire / September 30, 2025 / Avel eCare has been named among the Top Telemedicine Services of 2025 by Healthcare Business Review. The recognition highlights Avel’s role in setting a new standard for virtual, system-wide care, expanding access to high-quality healthcare in rural, urban, and underserved communities nationwide.

According to Healthcare Business Review, companies chosen for this prestigious list have “demonstrated outstanding capabilities in their respective industries, earning their place at the top. Renowned for their cutting-edge solutions, services, and exceptional customer support, they stand out in their fields after receiving numerous nominations. A panel of C-level executives, industry experts, and our editorial board conducted a comprehensive evaluation to select the top companies.”

With more than 30 years of telemedicine leadership, Avel eCare delivers an integrated system of care that spans emergency, behavioral health, hospitalist, pharmacy, specialty clinic, ICU, and more. By connecting hospitals, clinics, schools, EMS providers, and long-term care facilities to a team of board-certified physicians, nurses, and specialists, Avel provides reliable care that improves outcomes, reduces unnecessary transfers, and strengthens local health systems.

“This recognition reflects the tireless dedication of our team and our partners nationwide,” said Doug Duskin, CEO of Avel eCare. “From critical access hospitals to large health systems, our mission has always been the same: to ensure that every patient, no matter their location, has timely access to the highest level of care. Being honored as a top telemedicine service validates that vision.”

Avel eCare’s innovative approach has been proven to:

• Improve quality metrics such as reduced ICU length of stay and faster emergency department throughput

• Provide financial value by alleviating staffing shortages and reducing reliance on costly locum coverage

• Strengthen recruitment and retention by supporting bedside teams with 24/7 expertise

As demand for telehealth accelerates-with the global telehealth market projected to reach $1.18 trillion by 2032 according to BioSpace.com (https://www.biospace.com/telehealth-market-poised-to-surge-usd-1-186-59-billion-by-2032)- Avel continues to lead the way with scalable, reliable solutions that bring stability and innovation to healthcare delivery.

About Avel eCare
Avel eCare is a national leader in technology-enabled clinical services delivered through telemedicine, offering provider-to-provider virtual care solutions that expand clinical capacity and improve outcomes across the healthcare industry. With more than 30 years of innovation, Avel’s board-certified clinicians partner with hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, schools, EMS agencies, and correctional health systems nationwide to bring high-quality care to patients when and where it’s needed most. Learn more at: www.avelecare.com

Media Contact:
Jessica Gaikowski
Avel eCare
media@avelecare.com

SOURCE: Avel eCare

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire