VICDOC Summer 2025 - Flipbook - Page 52
VVSC offers three models via HealthDirect
1
Case conferences: Connecting three care providers, including the
patient’s regular general practitioner, this model works well if allied
health, nursing staff or other service providers are involved.
The patient can be present but doesn’t have to be, as long as
consent is obtained and documented. This is outlined on the
Medicare Benefits Schedule Online.
2
Co-consults: Connecting a general practitioner or other community
care provider with a VVSC clinician alongside the patient. The patient
must be present for this consult type.
3
Direct consultations: Only offered for certain clinics, preferentially
provided to rural and remote patients. Letters and handovers will
always be made to the patient’s nominated regular general practitioner
after the consult.
Most disciplines are available
Can VVSC support hospital services?
including psychiatry, adult medicine,
paediatrics, palliative care and women’s
health. Several other clinics are offered
in the allied health domains, including
musculoskeletal physiotherapy, wound
care and advanced care planning.
VVSC consults can be claimed as
Continuing Professional Development
under the ‘Reviewing Performance’
category with RACGP. The service
also develops connections between
clinicians, defragments care through
synchronous sharing of results and
notes, improves access to care and
is an excellent learning opportunity
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Results from the VVSC implementation
at Northern Health found multiple
positive benefits. It found 68% of
in-person outpatient referrals can
be cancelled, following the online
appointment. The service also prioritises
consults where the primary care
provider, most often the patient’s regular
general practitioner, can attend. This
facilitates live discussion and shared
decision making, allowing plans to
be enacted and patients to continue
management in the community. For
healthcare services with long waitlists
for in-person clinics, VVSC can be
for doctors in training who use
offered as an alternative with an
the service.
expected reduction in patients needing
