Study Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic put an immense strain on emergency departments (ED) throughout the country. Many patients required hospitalization, while others required symptomatic care and testing. We established a novel triage and treatment process, using a combination of telemedicine and a tent site adjacent to the ED, that provided safer and more efficient patient care.Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients with suspected COVID-19 evaluated at a suburban, academic medical center in Long Island, New York. Patients who presented to the ED with symptoms of COVID-19 during a 30-day timeframe between the hours of 11 am to 7 pm were triaged by vital signs and a questionnaire at the main ED entrance. If appropriate, patients were then directed to our tent site. Our primary outcome was 30-day return visits for acute medical concerns related to COVID-19.Results: We assessed 693 patients. 505 patients (73%) tested positive for COVID-19. The mean age was 41.6 years old. In regards to 30-day revisits, a total of 74 patients (10.1%) returned to the ED, and 38 (5.5%) of these were related to COVID-19. Of this group, 11 patients (1.6%) were admitted to the hospital, including one ICU admission. There was one death in the 30-day revisit group (COVID-related complications).Conclusion: Our novel triage and evaluation model provided a safe environment for testing and treating patients during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. This information can help emergency departments provide alternative treatment models to care for patients during future surge scenarios. Outcome Variable Patients Per Day (mean, range) 21.7 (0 -42) Tent Length of Stay (mean minutes, range) 43 (13 -349)

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