Jaidyn Kennedy
Northern Health is changing the way specialist medical care is offered around the state through its Victorian Virtual Specialist Consult (VVSC).
The service has expanded since its initial conception, with direct consultations provided across Victoria to patients who previously faced long waits and travel times.
Healthcare providers will be given access to free, 20-minute consultations, providing them timely access to specialist support when managing complex patients.
The list of specialities offered has expanded from a general medical pilot program to cover more than 16 different specialities.
Patients can wait for as long as two years to be seen in certain specialities. This can be reduced to weeks through the VVSC consultation process.
Community providers can book appointments directly through the VVSC website, while patients waiting for long periods on specialists can ask their GPs to consider engaging in a co-consult model as an alternative.
VVSC is also partnering with regional and rural centres to assist patients that have previously endured long waits or had been forced to travel long distances.
Victorian Virtual Specialist Consults director Dr Joanna Lawrence said by facilitating effective communication between primary care and medical specialists, they are seeing both improved care and more timely treatment for some of our most vulnerable patients.
“Through VVSC, the hope is every Victorian can get the access to the specialist healthcare they need it, when and where they need it most,” she said.
