The six-month trial will see regional patients able to receive heart failure and post-cardiac care at home, and expectant mums will be able to use a virtual foetal monitoring service.
The Victorian government has launched a six-month pilot of a virtual hospital led by the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Austin Health.
Beginning in December the trial 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.
The virtual hospital differs from the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department which had its capacity doubled by a $437 million investment from this year’s state budget.
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The virtual hospital delivered by the RMH will focus on inpatient ward rounds in remote areas, while the VVED focuses on acute emergency care.
“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,” said premier Jacinta Allan when announcing the pilot.
Minister for health Mary-Anne Thomas said the pilot would “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,” she said.