Victorians will soon be able to receive remote, specialist hospital care in their own home with the Allan Labor Government launching the state's first ever Virtual Hospital Pilot.
Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas today announced The Royal Melbourne Hospital and Austin Health will lead the pilot - freeing up hospital beds for those who need them most and getting our paramedics back on the road sooner.
The six-month pilot will begin in December, delivering care for more than 250 patients who would otherwise be admitted as an inpatient to a hospital ward.
The pilot will treat patients from right across the state with regional Victorians to benefit most from virtual ward rounds, where doctors will monitor and check in with patients remotely - partnering with regional and rural health services to provide patients specialist care without needing to travel.
The pilot will see doctors delivering heart failure and post-cardiac care, supporting a faster recovery from home through remote monitoring.
Regional mums-to-be will also be able to avoid trips to Melbourne for hospital-based care with a virtual foetal monitoring service, which will enable scans to be completed in their local area by transferring imaging to specialists at The Royal Women's Hospital in real time for virtual consultations.
As part of the pilot, the Royal Melbourne Hospital's Digital Coordination Centre will be expanded to use real-time data to direct ambulances to hospitals. This change will see paramedics directed to hospitals which aren't as busy - getting ambulances back on the road faster and improving patient flow.
Following the pilot's completion in June 2026, an evaluation will be completed with the lessons paving the way for a new generation of hospital care of technology and collaboration.
The Labor Government continues to back the delivery of care at home, with health services across the state already delivering hospital in the home care, and this year's budget also invested $437 million to double the capacity of the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department - and make it permanent.
As stated by Premier Jacinta Allan
"We don't just want to give Victorians the best health care in the world - we want that care to be easier, cheaper and faster to access."
"The Virtual Hospital Pilot is a game changer for regional Victorians, because patients recover better when they're in the comfort of their own home with their family."
As stated by Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas
"This pilot is going to make it easier for patients to get the care they need, and expanding the digital coordination centre at RMH is going to get our paramedics back on the road faster."
"We're giving people get the care they need, freeing up beds and getting our paramedics back on the road sooner."
