Virtual Care Service

What is the Residential Aged Care Virtual Care Service (VCS)?

The Residential Aged Care Virtual Care Service (VCS) is fully funded and voluntary. It can assist healthcare providers providing care to aged care home residents, offering an additional care-giving method used together with in-person visits. Residents and clinicians retain their choice to take part. The Service is part of the Australian Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety recommendations, through PHN funded activities.

The Virtual Care Service is worth $1.1 million which funds all participating residential aged care homes in the Northern Sydney region. Aged care homes, their residents and healthcare providers will use the Service for:

• Secure video consultations.
• Remote vital signs monitoring.
• Including family members in resident care, when required

This Service can:

• Support non-urgent, routine, and scheduled care.
• Supplement in-person attendances by GPs and other healthcare providers.
• Complement other existing telehealth services.
• Initially be used during business hours

Virtual Care Consults may include:

• Case Conferencing
• Medication Reviews, Scripts and Repeats
• Wound Management.
• Chronic Disease Management.
• Advance Care Planning.
• Mental Health and Allied Health care planning

What is included?

• Resources to support staff, residents, and health professionals.
• Virtual care hardware for RACFs.
• Virtual care software access for RACFs and providers.
• Education for RACFs and their providers.

When will the voluntary service start?

The roll out will commence in May 2023 and all participating facilities should be onboarded by February 2024.

Benefits:

• Improved access for RACF residents to healthcare providers.
• Improved business efficiency, cost savings, and increased resident comfort.
• Better care coordination.
• Safe and timely health care without leaving the home environment

Other Benefits:

• Reduced travel by residents and healthcare providers.
• Easier engagement by family members, carers, and RACF staff with the residents’ care.
• Fewer preventable hospital admissions.
• Support the management of chronic conditions.

How to become a VCS provider:

The SNHN virtual care service is available to all residential aged care homes and primary care providers in the Northern Sydney region and is fully funded by Sydney North Health Network. To register:

Email: ageingwell@snhn.org.au
Phone: 02 9432 8244

Facilities in our region that are currently using or are about to use VCS