Virtual assessment may replace ambos

A new virtual triage service, the ‘Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED), is beginning to be rolled out state wide.

The service is the result of a $21 million investment by the Victorian Government and is intended to help ease pressures in emergency departments and free up paramedics quicker.

The service expansion announcement was made last month ,and the first

Northern Hospital has been trialling the service, which allows paramedics to virtually link the patient with the VVED for assessment on whether a trip to the hospital is required.

The project trial was a success, and 87 per cent of people referred to the service avoided a trip in an ambulance to the hospital emergency department.

Northern Hospital's VVED team will accept referrals from Ambulance Victoria crews across the state and provide virtual clinical assessments, medical advice, treatment, and where required, local referrals to appropriate services for ongoing management.

Local paramedic Peter Parkinson said he was excited to have the tool available in the future, having previously used the service to manage COVID-19 patient care locally.

“I'm eagerly awaiting it,” he said.

“You don't want to go to the hospital if you don't need to... if you can be treated at home you're going to be much more comfortable.”

Mr Parkinson explained that the service would help to free up paramedics for responses, especially in regional areas, as travel times can often be significant.

“In rural areas, our drives can be upwards of 40 minutes,” he said.

He said that, in his experience, the virtual service is easy to use - although patients do need a smart device to access it.

“It's very straightforward... even for those who are not tech-savvy, it's quite user-friendly, which I like,” he said

Northern Hospital's clinical director Dr Loren Sher explained how the VVED operates.

“Patients can be referred or they can refer themselves if they think they've got a problem but they're not quite sure they need to attend the emergency,” she said.

Patients then fill out an electronic form, which asks them the same questions they would get asked in an emergency department, and then get a link to the emergency nurse's virtual waiting room, Dr Sher explained. The nurse will then start the video consult, and go through the standard triage process.

Dr Sher said that the service has been used to help those who don't necessarily need to access an ambulance but do believe they need to consult with a medical professional.

“I think a lot of patients can call in with minor injuries, and the stress of the minor injury can cause them to call an ambulance,” she said.

Dr Sher said that people with COVID-19 had been able to get advice about their symptoms, and people experiencing other illnesses such as vomiting have been able to be prescribed medication through the service.