When clinically appropriate, virtual care can be used to bring together people from multiple locations, providing an easy way to connect and share information with your patients, their loved ones and your colleagues.
Virtual care is designed to complement and enhance access to in-person care. As well as offering more choice, virtual care may sometimes be the best option to meet a patient’s needs.
How to deliver virtual care
Telephone
Audio connection between two or more people
Videoconference
Video connection between two or more people, allowing all participants to speak with and see one another
Store and forward
Sending patient data via email or clinical app to another clinician for advice or management
Remote monitoring
Using technology to collect and send medical information to an app, device or service outside of the clinical setting
The benefits of virtual care
Incorporating virtual care into clinical practice can offer many benefits:
For patients and their families
- Opportunity to receive care closer to their home, support network and community
- Increased access, convenience and choice with shorter waiting times and less disruption
- Reduced travel time, cost and inconvenience
- Opportunity to receive care on country
- More equitable and timely access to services to improve continuity of care
- Access to specialist services otherwise not available in their area
- Supports connection to loved ones through technology
- Supports family members and carers to get involved and play an active role in a person’s healthcare
For healthcare professionals
- Enables access to specialist services and support
- Improved clinical networks and professional collaboration
- Reduces unnecessary travel and time away from commitments
- Supports flexible service delivery models and multidisciplinary care
- Supports models that promote integration across healthcare
- Provides a support network no matter where they are located across NSW
- Increased professional development opportunities.
For the health system
- Opportunities to provide more efficient care
- Reduced transfers and length of stay
- More collaborative ways of working.
Virtual care: Fiona and Killian’s story
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