An Evaluation of the Victorian Virtual Specialist Consults (VVSC) at Northern Health

The Victorian Virtual Specialist Consults (VVSC) service launched in early 2023 in response to the difficulties with access to specialist clinics, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. VVSC is a virtual model of care supporting GPs to access specialist advice for patients in a timely manner, thereby reducing both referral rates to outpatient clinics and hospital admissions and improving consumer satisfaction. VVSC utilises a synchronous model, providing GPs and nurse practitioners with immediate answers to help manage complex patients in the community. This project will involve a robust evaluation of this service at Northern Health. It is anticipated that the results will showcase the effects of the service on the wider community and guide future development to ensure it is of value to the healthcare ecosystem.

Participation in the Fellowship will support a robust evaluation of the VVSC service and the wider implications of virtual care delivered directly to patients in their community. I am hoping that once I have grasped the skills to evaluate a service, I can apply them to the current service program that I am working on or assist others within the health service.