A $4.5 million Victorian Government investment will see local health services from five regional and rural health partnerships work together to support patients receiving medical care via telehealth.
The investment will ensure regional Victorians can continue to keep their appointments and get the medical care they need during the coronavirus pandemic.
Former Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said boosting telehealth would mean thousands more regional Victorians would receive specialist medical care sooner.
“Telehealth was already widely used in regional and rural Victoria to help people get the care they needed without a long car trip before the pandemic, and it has become a vital tool in our response — protecting doctors and their patients from being exposed to the virus,” she said.
The coronavirus pandemic has led to the widespread adoption of telehealth by doctors, nurses and allied health providers to deliver care that does not require face-to-face services.
Each region will receive a regional telehealth lead and local telehealth support officers who will train clinicians and support patients on how to use telehealth, as well as fund equipment such as webcams, computers, tablets and headsets.
Member for Northern Victoria Mark Gepp said regional Victorians should not delay getting medical care.
“We’re making it easier for locals to see a specialist, because delaying that appointment can have devastating health consequences,” he said.
The five regional and rural health partnerships benefiting from the telehealth boost are:
● Loddon Mallee Health Network;
● Hume Regional Cluster Partnership;
● Barwon South Western Regional Area Health Partnership;
● Grampians Regional Area Health Partnership; and
● Gippsland Regional Area Health Partnership.
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