General News
11 May, 2023
Hospital launches VVED service
SOUTH West Healthcare (SWH) is working with the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) to assist residents in south west Victoria to access timely care for non-urgent illnesses and injuries as a fast-track option in the Camperdown Urgent Care Centre.
SOUTH West Healthcare (SWH) is working with the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) to assist residents in south west Victoria to access timely care for non-urgent illnesses and injuries as a fast-track option in the Camperdown Urgent Care Centre.
From May 1 onwards, patients visiting the SWH Camperdown Urgent Care Centre will be triaged by SWH staff and all patients will be given a choice of either waiting to see a physical doctor or having access to a private and confidential telehealth booth where they can instead speak with the VVED and fast-track their care.
SWH staff will be on hand to assist patients with technology use and trouble-shoot any issues they have.
The VVED is a free virtual Emergency Department service for all members of the Victorian public to use 24/7, from the comfort of their own home.
The VVED provides a consult with an Emergency Department Triage nurse and a specialist emergency doctor, just as patients would experience in a physical emergency department.
Instead of attending an Emergency Department in-person, the consultation with a specialist emergency doctor is delivered virtually via a smart phone, computer or tablet.
Once logged in for a video call with the VVED, the patient will be asked to answer a few simple screening questions.
It usually takes between eight and 15 minutes to be seen by an Emergency Department triage nurse, and around another 15 minutes to see a specialist emergency doctor if required.
SWH emergency department operations manager Sue Anderton said SWH understands not all patients will feel comfortable with using iPads or have access to smart phones and iPads at home, so it is important to not only promote the VVED as a service to the community, but to provide a supported space where people can go and get help with access as well.
“A number of our own staff members used the VVED over the summer holiday period and were blown away with the standard of care provided,” she said.
“People were able to obtain scripts, imaging and blood test referrals generally within 20 minutes and then move on with their lives.
“For a lot of people, it was reassuring to get a medical opinion about an issue that was a little more in-depth than something like Nurse-on-Call, and particularly helpful over weekends when GP appointments are hard to come by.”
SWH chief medical informatics officer Didir Imran said the VVED had been in use for more than 18 months and was originally only available to residents and health services in certain parts of the state.
“In 2022, the VVED service was expanded state-wide and this has seen many Victorians being able to access a high-quality service for non-urgent illness and injury from their own homes,” he said.
“For our partnership with the VVED Team, we have ordered a special telehealth booth and have modified the spaces in our ED and Urgent Care Centres to make room for VVED telehealth consults.
“Ultimately, the VVED is just one initiative we are exploring as part of our interim ED expansion work
“Over the past few months, we have collaborated with the VVED team to ensure that there is a clear understanding of how patients will be handed over to our service and vice versa, how the discharge process from a VVED consultation works, and how we integrate local imaging and pathology services etc.”
As well as assisting the public, the VVED is also staffed with separate teams which take calls from aged-care providers and GP clinics who are seeking advice about a patient that may need to attend the ED.
Ms Anderton said the VVED is an amazing support for aged-care providers.
“Traditionally aged-care homes would call Ambulance Victoria to arrange a transfer to our ED for a resident/ patient to be reviewed,” she said.
“In a number of cases that patient would not need to be admitted and would be transferred back.
“Having a service where aged care services can call ahead and speak to a consultant is more convenient for the resident and helps to keep ambulances free and on the road for emergency use.
“It’s important that people understand that our emergency department is still here and will always be available for anyone who needs us; the VVED is simply designed to complement our service.
Where we can keep the ED free to respond to emergencies, this assists us to treat those most at need quickly, however, if in doubt we are always here to care for you.”