New virtual hospital pilot to bring specialist care to Victorians’ homes
20 Oct 2025
The pilot is being led by The Royal Melbourne Hospital and Austin Health after a competitive tender process. Health Victoria It will serve more than 250 patients and aims to reduce pressure on hospital beds while helping people receive high-quality care at home. OpenGov Asia+1
Key features of the service include:
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Virtual wards focussing initially on heart-failure and post-cardiac patients, covering both metropolitan and regional Victoria so more patients can recover at home. Health Victoria+1
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Virtual ward-rounds and monitoring in partnership with rural and regional health services, giving regional patients access to tertiary specialists remotely. Health Victoria+1
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A virtual foetal monitoring component for expectant mothers in regional areas: scans are done locally and sent to The Royal Women’s Hospital for virtual consultation, reducing the need to travel to Melbourne. Healthcare IT News+1
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Use of data and digital coordination to help manage ambulance capacity and hospital demand, which aims to get paramedics back on the road sooner and free up emergency department resources. Healthcare IT News+1
The pilot is scheduled to roll out in phases starting December 2025, and will be evaluated in June 2026 for outcomes including patient experience, usability of the virtual technology and equitable access to care. Health Victoria The initiative is backed by a $3 million investment from the 2025-26 Victorian Budget. OpenGov Asia+1
This project builds on other virtual care investments in Victoria, such as the expansion of the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department, which received $437 million in this year’s budget to become a permanent service. Healthcare IT News+1
Source: Department of Health Victoria media release.
