Sometimes a Long Wait for a doctor is not what you need.
There is always a bit of illness around and sometimes, when it’s not urgent, but you do need a Doctors assessment, the wait can be pretty long. We know some people in our community don’t cope well with waiting a long time in waiting rooms, and these days there can be days of waiting to get an appointment at the local Doctors, so people find themselves in emergency departments. And that doesn’t always work well for people we know and care about.
There is an online government funded health service that we have had a number of people, both participants and staff use, and the feedback has been fantastic. We have also had great feedback about this service from some Aged Care services we know, who have used them for their patients. This is the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) which allows you to access care for non-life-threatening emergencies. You can connect to the VVED from anywhere in Victoria.
When you use this service you will be connected virtually to emergency doctors and nurses who will provide medical advice, from the comfort of your own home or workplace. You will need a device with a camera to use this service. If you have them, please ensure you have any healthcare card details (Medicare, DVA, Private Health Insurance) available to provide as part of the registration. This is no other payments required.
Anyway click on the link below to learn more and access the service if you need it.
IN CASE YOU WANT TO KNOW A BIT MORE ABOUT THE VVED.
Northern Health is home to the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED), which triages and treats patients with non-life-threatening conditions virtually. VVED is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This service is the first of its kind in Australia.
All VVED patients receive appropriate care from our highly skilled emergency doctors and nurses. Our doctors are Australian credentialed clinicians, and work from Northern Health’s offices or from home.
There is no referral required, and all patients can connect directly from any personal device with a camera. Patients can also be connected to the service via Ambulance Victoria, their GP, or other health professionals.
For patients who prefer to speak in their own language, VVED offers interpreting services. This provides the same quality of service for all patients and their families, regardless of ethnicity and level of English. The online registration forms are available in multiple languages.
We also partner with hospitals around the state, residential aged care facilities, Ambulance Victoria, general practitioners, and Primary Health Networks to ensure better access to emergency care.
Northern Health’s Virtual Emergency Department began as a pilot project at Northern Hospital Epping in October 2020 to help patients in the north with COVID-19 symptoms, relieve pressure on emergency waiting rooms, and treat more people from the comfort of their home. The program is now open to all patients across Victoria.