Australia to launch virtual nursing for aged care

The Department of Health and Aged Care is launching a telehealth service for aged care residents as part of reform actions in the aged care sector. 

It recently issued a tender request for a supplier or a group of suppliers of a telehealth solution for delivering virtual nursing services to 3src unnamed residential aged care homes. 

“The successful supplier/s will be responsible for delivering person-centred care through telehealth (video conferencing) consultations,” it said in the request.

They are expected to provide initial and ongoing training to staff in using the virtual nursing platform.

The department also intends for them to make an initial review of available and accessible technology to each aged care home and then embed the required technology or enhance existing ones to support the delivery of virtual nursing services. 

Clinical and technical governance mechanisms, which may include frameworks, policies or processes, are also expected to be developed and integrated. 

Finally, telehealth providers are tasked to provide the information needs of residents and their families in “easy-to-understand resources.” This includes information on the “rights of the client, their family, and/or carers regarding the delivery of care via virtual nursing.”

THE LARGER TREND

Virtual nursing is part of initiatives to maximise time for direct care under its action plan to meet the 1src-year Aged Care Data and Digital Strategy. The project, the department said, “will support the development and testing of a framework for the delivery of safe and high-quality virtual nursing support in aged care.” The department also looks to pilot AI technologies and conduct trials of virtual reality technology. 

Meanwhile, a consortium of 15 Primary Health Networks across Australia recently offered a free telehealth training package to residential aged care staff. The training teaches them to deliver safe and effective telehealth services that might help plug the shortfall in aged care services in rural communities. It offers 62 six minute-long modules with each being accreditable for educational hours for GPs and nurses. It has topics from choosing the right location and device to best practices in providing end-of-life care and technology troubleshooting.