VRGS goes south

Western New South Wales's Virtual Rural Generalist Service (VRGS) has been expanded to cover Southern NSW. 

The service provides 24-hour virtual medical support, specialty or critical care advice and transport, logistics, and coordination support. It ensures patients have medical coverage with a VRGS doctor who can answer their questions and discuss their condition, supported by an on-site nursing staff.

South NSW Local Health District will be trialling the service at five initial sites in Bombala, Braidwood, Crookwell, Delegate and Yass from July, according to a media statement.

VVED to double capacity

Australia's first virtual ED, the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED), is also set to be expanded. 

From providing free urgent care via video consultations to around 500 Victorians per day, the VVED now targets to accommodate over 1,000 persons a day, based on a media release. Over A$235 million in funding will be provided by the Victorian government so it can recruit more clinicians. 

"We’re doubling the Virtual ED’s capacity so more Victorians can get the urgent care they need, from their own home – taking pressure off our busy EDs," Premier Jacinta Allan explained.

Expanding the VVED will also enable it to support more direct referrals from aged care, paramedics, primary health networks, the Nurse on Call service and self-referrals from the community. 

The VVED, delivered by Northern Hospital, has served over 256,000 patients, 86% of whom have avoided unnecessary trips to the hospital since its statewide rollout in 2022.

Prenatal clinic in Canberra digitises patient pathway with Personify Care

Canberra Antenatal Care of the privately held Ken Tan Obstetric Care in the Australian Capital Territory is the latest to digitise its antenatal patient pathway with Personify Care.

Through the digital pathway, expectant parents can access educational materials and information; they can also complete required assessments and consent before their appointments. 

Personify Care also recently powered the delivery of digital antenatal education and care of Nourish Baby, the only online provider accredited by the Childbirth and Parenting Educators of Australia and the Australian Council of Healthcare Standards. 

In 2022, Northern Adelaide Local Health Network in South Australia developed the Pregnancy Online Platform with Personify Care, which also digitised its prenatal care workflow.