Ward Memorial Hospital has taken a bold step forward in redefining rural emergency care by partnering with Avel eCare, a leading provider of telemedicine services. Since implementing Avel’s virtual emergency care platform, Ward Memorial has significantly enhanced its ability to treat patients locally, reduce stress on clinical teams, and provide faster, high-quality care to the community.
Ward Memorial Hospital, a 25-bed Critical Access facility with a Level IV trauma-designated Emergency Department, serves a broad rural population in West Texas. With Avel’s virtual emergency physicians now seamlessly integrated into the hospital’s trauma response protocols, the facility has seen measurable improvements in patient outcomes, throughput, and provider satisfaction.
“Every trauma patient that presents in our ER now triggers a call to Avel,” said Leticia Rodriguez, CEO of Ward Memorial Hospital. “It’s not about replacing our team—it’s about enhancing it. Avel provides a second set of expert eyes in the first 30 minutes of care, helping confirm diagnoses, guide treatment, and even support documentation or transfers. That’s a game-changer for rural hospitals like ours.”
Avel eCare connects local providers to board-certified emergency physicians, nurses, and paramedics within moments of activation. This real-time support ensures that critical cases are evaluated promptly, whether the on-call physician is on-site or en route. In a region where distances are vast and resources limited, this added layer of expertise allows patients to be stabilized and often treated locally—avoiding unnecessary transfers and reducing the burden on tertiary facilities.
The impact is already clear:
- Reduced transfers and increased local care: With Avel’s support, Ward Memorial is able to keep more patients in-house, providing a higher level of care close to home.
- Improved throughput: Avel’s virtual clinicians help streamline evaluations and reduce door-to-disposition times, improving patient flow and satisfaction.
- Relief for providers: With support available 24/7, hospital staff experience less burnout and more confidence during high-acuity cases.
- Better outcomes: Ward Memorial is meeting—and in many cases exceeding—national benchmarks for stroke and cardiac care, thanks in part to its collaboration with Avel.
The collaboration also proved invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic, when patient surges and overwhelmed transfer networks made local care a necessity. “During COVID, there was nowhere to go. Avel helped us keep patients here, safely, and that made all the difference,” said Rodriguez.
Ward Memorial now considers Avel eCare an essential part of its clinical team. From trauma to cardiac events, behavioral health consults to nurse support, the platform has become embedded in the hospital’s protocols and culture.
“For any rural hospital struggling with staffing, coverage, or meeting trauma standards—Avel is the answer,” Rodriguez said. “It’s affordable, it’s efficient, and it’s built to work with your team, not around it.”