Two Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) pods have been installed in the Northern Hospital emergency department.
Northern Health said the pods help make access to care for patients with non-life-threatening problems easier.
Patients will be able to receive a video consultation and assessment by a doctor in privacy and comfort of the soundproof space.
Northern Health project manager Laura Hughes said the pods are another way Northern Health is providing care to the community.
“When we ran a recent trial, we saw hundreds of patients use the service effectively, many who were able to leave the physical emergency department sooner, and continue to improve and recover at their home,” she said.
Northern Health emergency department nurse unit manager Hannah Downie said there were between four and five patients using the pods daily, but Northern Hospital is hoping this number will increase to at least 15.
Ms Downie said many patients redirected to the pods would be classified as category four or five patients.
“The current wait times for these patients to see a clinician and wait in the waiting room is between 90-120 minutes on average, although this could be longer, depending on the time of day. The VVED team are working towards patients being seen in the pods within 20 minutes,” Ms Downie said.
