Australian-first Virtual Health Service for South West

Media release - 26 July 2005

Rural and regional Victorians will have access to revolutionary specialist health care services without having to leave their local communities, the Premier, Steve Bracks, announced today.

Launching the South West Alliance of Rural Health Virtual Services Project Project in Colac, Mr Bracks said Victoria was leading the nation in delivering vital health care to remote locations through innovative broadband applications.

"The State Government has committed $2.8 million to this Australian-first, which will see virtual health services delivered by multiple health care agencies to remote communities via broadband networks," Mr Bracks said.

"This cutting edge technology will allow medical specialists at South West Healthcare in Warrnambool to give advice and guidance, via videoconferencing, to staff treating a patient in the emergency department of a hospital many kilometres away - like here in Colac.

"After the success of a pilot program between SWARH's Warrnambool and Lismore campuses, the Virtual Services Project will now reach 29 sites throughout South-West Victoria, many of them in remote areas where there is currently no, or minimal, health presence.

"The project will deliver tangible benefits to people in regional Victoria as it will allow complex medical conditions to be treated locally."

Mr Bracks said all Victorians could look forward to having access to this ground-breaking technology in the future.

"Under the Government's Broadband Framework, we are committed to delivering improved services using leading edge broadband applications, such as that being launched here today," he said.

"The Government is committed to turning around our health system by rebuilding our hospitals and ensuring patients get the support they need."

In launching the project in Colac today, the Premier took part in a demonstration of the technology involving a link up between Colac and Warrnambool.

The SWARH Virtual Services Project involves:

Virtual Reception: Remote communities will have 24-hour access to a video unit, located in a community facility, permanently connected to the main reception of the nearest hospital. This will allow patients to speak to the reception of the nearest hospital, via video, to receive initial assessment and advice on further treatment;

Virtual Assessment: The emergency department of South West Healthcare Warrnambool campus, which is staffed 24 hours a day, will have specialist staff providing advice and guidance through videoconferencing to smaller emergency departments which have only general nursing staff and limited access to a local GP. This will enable smaller hospitals to treat clients with complex/specialist issues locally;

Clinical Monitoring:: Clinical monitors (measuring vital signs) in regional hospitals and health care agencies where no local specialist is available will be connected to Barwon Health via the SWARH intranet, to enable vital signs to be professionally interpreted and monitored by cardiac specialists. Specialists will also be able to react to emergencies from their rooms or homes through internet access.

Virtual Communications for the Deaf: Educational programs, critical early language intervention services, and support will be provided to families of hearing impaired and the teachers and schools of multi-disabled students through video conferencing as an adjunct to face-to-face contact.

Locations for the Virtual Services Project

Virtual Reception - Nelson, Lavers Hill, Forrest, Merino, Beeac, Inverleigh and Birregurra.

Virtual Assessment - Macarthur, Dartmoor, Balmoral, Cobden, Camperdown, Port Fairy, Winchelsea, Lorne, Apollo Bay, Portland, Hamilton, Colac, Timboon, Casteron, Coleraine, Penshurst, Warrnambool, Barwon Health, Torquay, Anglesea, Bannockburn.

Clinical Monitoring- Barwon Health (Geelong), South West Healthcare (Warrnambool), Western District Health Services (Hamilton), Colac Area Health (Colac) and Portland District Health.

Virtual Communications for the Deaf

families, students and teachers can attend one of the 47 SWARH health agencies (some of which already provide services to the deaf);

five families in remote areas with deaf and deaf/blind children will have home-based videoconferencing units (as a trial); and

students/families that access the services of Monnington, Princess Elizabeth Junior School or Carronbank can do so through the new Holland Educational Complex in Blackburn South which will have a broadband videoconferencing link to SWARH.

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Media release

Premier of Victoria

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Australian-first Virtual Health Service for South West