The Victorian Government announced the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department Initiative (VVED) in February 2022. This was introduced in response to the emergency departments (EDs) of Victorian hospitals being struggling to keep up with the increasing demand for ED care. This is a $21 million investment.
Referrals from Ambulance Victoria and Healthcare Professionals, including GPs to use the service and patients can connect with the triage nurse waiting room.
The benefits of this initiative include:
- Emergency Department diversion of 75%
- Greater access to other Healthcare
- Professionals
- Extending paramedic scope
- Enhanced safety netting
Note that some exclusions to VED referrals apply, including those with suffering from acute mental health; alcohol or drug intoxication; acute injury; abnormal vital signs; specific conditions; and babies under 3 months old
A similar initiative is being progressed for patients living in Residential Aged Care Facilities and this is shown to have a number of benefits, including:
- Reducing unnecessary transport of older patients
- Improves patient expectations and outcomes
- Reduces the risk of infections and mortality
- Reduces non-urgent callouts
- Reduces total case time
A similar model is existent in UK, where urgent treatment centres (UTCs) led by GPs open a minimum 12 hours a day, every day, take bookings through 111 (Emergency Hotlines, equivalent to 000 in Australia) or through a GP referral. UTCs intend to ease the pressure on hospitals by treating lower urgency cases.