After-hours pilot launches at Great Ocean Road Health

PATIENTS in Lorne and Apollo Bay will have better access to after-hours emergency services thanks to a new telehealth pilot which is taking flight at Great Ocean Road Health.

A joint initiative between Western Victoria Primary Health Network (PHN) and My Emergency Dr (MED), the program has been launched across several Urgent Care Centre’s (UCC) in the Western Victoria PHN region.

The pilot at Lorne Community Hospital’s UCC began on September 2 and will finish in August next year, while the Apollo Bay Hospital UCC pilot will begin on September 30 and conclude in September 2020.

The video-call based service will be operated by UCC medical staff during the after-hours period via the MED App, which connects users to a team of emergency specialists who can remotely access, diagnose and arrange treatment for patients.

Western Victoria PHN chief executive Dr Leanne Beagley said the use of telehealth has been identified as a potential alternative to addressing workforce challenges and can reduce the significant after-hours burden which is placed on some general practitioners.

“My Emergency Dr is a current provider of telehealth services in Victoria and has experience working with rural health services.

“The pilot aims to complement the important role that GPs play in the provision of after-hours care in the community and responds to some of the significant workforce demands and challenges in rural areas.”

After hours is defined as:

• outside 8am to 6pm weekdays;
• outside 8am to 12noon on Saturdays; and
• all day on Sundays and public holidays.