healthdirect deeply integrated with SA's virtual care success

Healthdirect Australia's services and national digital infrastructure are enabling the success of South Australia's telehealth expansion, helping to take the pressure off emergency departments.

The healthdirect Video Call service underpins the expansion of the South Australian telehealth services: the Women's and Children's Health Network Child and Adolescent Virtual Urgent Care Service and accompanying 12-month virtual Women's Assessment Service trial, the state-wide free Virtual Care Service and expanded access to virtual GP.

The healthdirect Video Call service is purpose-built for clinical settings and is simple and convenient for clinicians and patients to use. Healthdirect Australia, the national, government-owned provider of virtual health services manages, develops and supports the service.

The healthdirect helpline is now connecting consumers to these care pathways, to help get people to the right care at the right time.

"We are pleased to support South Australia's advanced approach to virtual care – enabling a consumer front door through the scalable, secure and flexible healthdirect Video Call service which was fundamental in the design of these services," says Travis Hodgson, Chief Delivery Officer, Healthdirect Australia.

"We have recently made the virtual emergency services accessible to adults and children via the healthdirect helpline, which has been used by over 100,000 South Australians this year. About 70 per cent of calls are coming through in the after-hours period. Following virtual triage by healthdirect nurses, eligible callers are now rapidly connected with an emergency physician for a video consult.

"This service may help them avoid an unnecessary late-night trip to the ED and provide peace of mind for themselves and their families. It also works to reduce pressure on EDs and the broader health system," says Mr Hodgson.

Healthdirect Australia's national digital infrastructure, including healthdirect Video Call, underpins the South Australia telehealth expansions, with joint funding from the South Australian Department for Health and Wellbeing and the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care.

Child and Adolescent Virtual Urgent Care Service (CAVUCS)

The Child and Adolescent Virtual Urgent Care Service connects parents and carers with a virtual team of emergency doctors and paediatric nurses, via the healthdirect Video Call platform. CAVUCS clinicians can remotely assess urgent and semi-urgent conditions and provide medical advice for children aged six months up to 18 years.

Launched in August 2021, CAVUCS manages approximately 1,700 consultations a month, with a third from country areas. The service connected to the healthdirect helpline in November.

To access the service, parents or carers register online, or they receive an SMS link from the healthdirect nurse. Once they are in the online 'waiting area', an administrator monitors wait times and clinician availability, and can message waiting patients and answer questions until their consultation begins.

The CAVUCS clinicians then complete the virtual consult. Clinicians have the ability to include interpreters, and other specialists if required and also can provide scripts if needed.

Patients or carers can also share documents to support the clinical assessment, such as scans, reports and medication lists, in an encrypted format via a secure platform.

If the clinician determines that the patient can remain at home, they will provide the necessary advice as well as list the red flags that the patient or carers need to watch for.

If a trip to the ED is not required, they can refer the patients to alternate services closer to their place of residence.

SA Virtual Care Service (SAVCS)

South Australia's Virtual Care Service (SAVCS), using healthdirect Video Call, manages an average of 1,500 consultations per month.

Launched in December 2021, the SAVCS team includes medical staff, paramedics, nursing and clerical staff connecting with patients via healthdirect Video Call to find the best pathway for their care.

Recently, SAVCS expanded its referral pathways to enable referrals from the healthdirect helpline, with healthdirect nursing staff assisting to connect callers with the SAVCS.

Virtual GP access

South Australian callers to the healthdirect helpline can receive a phone or video GP call-back, if based on the severity of their symptoms and availability of practices in their area, the healthdirect nurse determines a GP consultation is required.

Following the virtual consult, healthdirect GPs send a summary of the consultation and associated care advice to the caller's regular GP via secure message to facilitate continuity of care, and can upload a copy of this to the patient's My Health Record.

Since the virtual GP pathway expansion in July 2023, over 2000 South Australians have received a GP call-back, with 82 per cent receiving advice that they did not need to attend an ED.