Emergency care from the comfort of your home

When every minute counts, getting the right care fast can make all the difference. This Virtual Care Awareness Week, Ambulance Victoria (AV) is highlighting how services like the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) are transforming emergency care - connecting Victorians to expert help from home while freeing up paramedics for critical cases.

Since its launch, AV has referred more than 85,000 patients to the VVED for appropriate virtual care, and more than 680,000 patients have benefited overall from the online service.

This innovative approach has not only eased the burden on physical emergency departments but also ensured that patients receive timely and efficient care wherever they are in Victoria, from the comfort of their homes.

AV’s Director of Operational Triage Services Diana Zimmermann said the 24/7 online emergency department is a win-win for patients and paramedics.

“Services like the VVED are excellent for patients, providing access to emergency care in the comfort of their own homes and helping to keep paramedics and first responders available for the sickest Victorians,” she said.

“VVED is about providing the right care, in the right place and at the right time.”

For many Victorians, that difference is already being felt. When Newborough mum Brooke found her seven-year-old son struggling to breathe, virtual emergency care meant hospital level care sooner than she expected.

Within minutes, an ambulance arrived with paramedics Jaimik Chauhan and Mick Smith, who quickly and expertly assessed Jaxx for his condition. The crew determined his croup symptoms weren’t life-threatening but could be exacerbated if he was transported in the middle of the winter’s night, and recommended an online consultation with an emergency doctor or nurse via the VVED, instead of a hospital visit.

With support from Dr Amanda Burnside at the VVED, Jaxx received a full diagnostic assessment and timely treatment from the comfort of home.

Brooke was amazed by the level of care provided by the VVED and encouraged all Victorians to consider a VVED video consult as their go-to option for non-life-threatening medical emergencies – helping to keep ambulances available for the sickest patients.

“It was amazing! Jaxx is on the autism spectrum, so not having to be transported in an ambulance and wait in the emergency department was fantastic,” Brooke said.

“Once we were connected to the VVED it was a short wait, Dr Burnside was spot on, she knew exactly what Jaxx needed.

“We were prescribed medication that the paramedics were able to retrieve for us and Jaxx came good within minutes."

Dr Amanda Burnside said, “we have a great collaboration with our colleagues at AV, it is a privilege to work alongside them to provide the right care at the right time and place to deliver best possible care and outcomes to the patients and communities we serve”.

VVED is an Australian-first video telehealth emergency service. The statewide service is run by Northern Health and funded by the Department of Health, for people with non-life-threatening medical conditions.

Brooke’s story highlights how virtual emergency care can provide the right help, in the right place, at the right time. As Virtual Care Awareness Week continues, AV is reminding Victorians that choosing virtual care for non-life-threatening issues can make a vital difference - ensuring every ambulance is available when it’s needed most.

VVED is available across Victoria 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, and can be accessed by anyone with a video call enabled device and an internet connection.

It is staffed by highly-skilled doctors and nurses who can assess and treat patients via video consult, arrange referrals, prescriptions and provide a follow-up care plan, if required.

In a life-threatening emergency always call Triple Zero (000) immediately.