Australian-first virtual ED marks 500K consultations

In March, the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) — an Australian first — reached a milestone of half a million consultations. Started as a pilot in October 2020, the VVED rolled out statewide in April 2022 and has provided clinical assessments, medical advice, treatment and referrals to Victorians in need — with free, around-the-clock urgent care that can be received from the patient’s own home.

In the past year, the service has helped 83% of patients avoid an unnecessary trip to the hospital when they needed urgent care. It has also helped alleviate pressure on paramedics, with around 79% of patients referred by a paramedic receiving virtual care at home. And demand is high; with close to 22,000 calls in December 2024 alone, it is busier than any other ED.

“With more than 500,000 video consultations, the VVED has become a service Victorians rely on — and it is all thanks to the hardworking doctors and nurses who support patients 24/7,” Victorian Minister for Ambulance Services Mary-Anne Thomas said. The government provided a $235 million funding boost last year that allowed the service to double its capacity.

The service will help take pressure off the health system by also supporting more direct referrals from aged care, paramedics in the field, primary health networks, the Nurse on Call service and self-referrals from the community, the government stated.

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If faced with an emergency, Victorians are advised to still call Triple Zero or present to their closest ED. Access to the VVED is available at vved.org.au.

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Image credit: iStock.com/fizkes. Stock image used is for illustrative purposes only.