Analysing the environmental impact of the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department

In Victoria, approximately 40 per cent of ED presentations are classified as lower urgency, which may be better handled in a primary care or non-ED environment. The Northern Health Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) is a state-wide virtual ED designed to relieve overcrowding by seeing those lower-acuity patients, currently diverting 80 to 85 per cent away from physical EDs. Along with significant time, cost and resource savings, there are also significant environmental savings by avoiding unnecessary travel and resource consumption.

I plan to quantify the environmental benefit of moving this care to telemedicine and compare it to the environmental cost of in-person ED visits. Environmental stewardship is increasingly prioritized in healthcare while maintaining as good, if not better, clinical outcomes. The VVED program demonstrates Northern Health’s openness to innovation and commitment to high-value healthcare. Quantifying its environmental benefits will further justify ongoing support for the service, advance Northern Health’s environmental reputation, and help inform the digital health strategy in Victoria and nationwide.

Dr Karen Kiang is also Clinical Sustainability Lead at the Royal Children’s Hospital.