Telehealth 'the default' for outpatient specialist care under state's new goals

Telehealth ‘the default’ for outpatient specialist care under state’s new goals

In-person appointments should be reserved for patients such as those with complex needs, the plan says.

Specialist outpatient clinics should default to virtual care like telehealth and remote monitoring if clinically appropriate and patients want it, Victoria’s Department of Health says.

The “short-term” goal set in the department’s Specialist Care Reform Blueprint, published in May, is to reserve in-person appointments for patients “with complex needs, those who cannot use virtual options or those who express a preference for in-person appointments”.

“While in-person appointments remain valuable for building trust, virtual care should be offered as the default option for patients where it is safe, suitable and preferred by patients, supported by clear protocols to guide decisions,” the blueprint says.

It says 26% of 5.3 million Victorian outpatient appointments in 2024/25 were virtual.

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