A state-wide virtual emergency service is offering rural residents an alternative to long trips to hospital emergency departments for non-life-threatening conditions.
The Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED), an Australian-first video telehealth service, provides 24/7 access to emergency doctors and nurses through any internet-connected mobile device.
Ambulance Victoria paramedic Kyla Aucote, who has served for 19 years, describes VVED as “the best development” she’s seen in her career. “Especially in regional areas where wait times to see GPs can be extremely lengthy, VVED allows timely assessment and treatment which is important to stop the progression of the patient’s illness,” she said.
This correspondent recently used the service when a close relative developed a delirious fever, late at night. Concerned but unsure if the illness merited the close to two hour round trip to the Wonthaggi emergency room (excluding waiting time), we called VVED, receiving immediate medical assessment and advice from a kind GP, and avoiding an unnecessary trip to the hospital.
The free service, run by Northern Health and funded by the Department of Health, can arrange referrals and provide follow-up care plans. It also helps keep ambulances available for critical cases by enabling paramedics to consult with doctors virtually rather than automatically transporting patients to hospital.
For non-emergency medical care, residents can also access Urgent Care Clinics, Nurse on Call, local GPs, and pharmacists. The VVED service can be accessed by anyone in Victoria with an internet connection and mobile device.
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