To demonstrate the impact of recruiting full-time remote tele-neurologists dedicated to new patient visits on access to local subspecialty neurology care.

Like other rural healthcare systems, Geisinger is experiencing challenges recruiting new local neurologists, and struggles to match an increasing demand for general neurology services with a limited pool of mostly sub-specialized providers. This contributes to longer wait times, delayed diagnoses, and unnecessary emergency room visits for our patients.

We onboarded 2 remote tele-neurologists dedicated to new patient visits at the end of 2024. Local providers also participate in new patient visits using any unplanned open clinic time. Patients are managed based on their diagnosis and needs - some are returned directly to their primary care providers with recommendations, others undergo further testing and limited follow-up, and those requiring ongoing or in-person care are referred on to the most appropriate local general or subspecialty providers. We tracked weekly volumes of new patient referrals, completed new patient visits, and number of new patient visits scheduled beyond 2-weeks.