Telehealth Support in Aged Care

The Australian Government has provided funding to Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network (EMPHN) to improve telehealth infrastructure in residential aged care facilities (RACFs), enabling residents to have greater access to primary care services through virtual consultations, where it is safe and appropriate to do so.

Timely access to primary health care professionals in residential aged care facilities (RACFs), through face-to-face consultations or telehealth, is a challenge for many RACFs. When access to healthcare is unavailable or limited, preventable hospitalisations can occur causing stress for both residents and staff.

Between February and May 2023, EMPHN offered a grant to all aged care facilities in the catchment. This was for the purpose of enhancing telehealth infrastructure and capability, thereby enabling virtual consultations for residents and improving timely access to primary care services.

RACFs chose to partake in the program, committing to enhancing their telehealth infrastructure, thereby enabling virtual consultations for residents and improving timely access to primary care services. For more information on Government aged care initiatives and projects, visit The Department of Health and Aged Care website.

Grant applications are now closed, though we welcome non-funding related requests for support.

All grant recipients have demonstrated a commitment to enabling use of telehealth infrastructure that is compliant with the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, (ACCRM) Telehealth Framework and Guidelines.

These RACFs will report their numbers of video telehealth sessions delivered over the next 12 months, provide case studies, and engage with PHN educational resources, and work on using Telehealth to improve organisational after-hours processes when a resident becomes unwell in the after-hours period.

Looking for telehealth options for your Aged Care Facility?

While our grant opportunity has now closed, our aged care programs team can still chat to you about what your RACF might like to independently purchase, to upgrade your telehealth.

Telehealth upgrades might look differently depending on each facility’s needs.

1. Infrastructure upgrades
   1. For example:
      1. Wi-Fi boosters
      2. additional cabling and Wi-Fi access points
2. Telehealth equipment and software
   1. For example:
      1. Large, fixed wall units for group conferencing
      2. Telehealth carts for medication and clinical rounds
      3. Laptops & medical tablets
      4. Wheeled units to sit tablets and laptops on
      5. Telehealth cameras, speakers and accessories
   2. For example:
      1. Use of free services like Health Direct and My Health Record
      2. Upgrades of Clinical management system software packages that allow for higher performance and system integration.
      3. Telehealth environment upgrades
3. Telehealth environment upgrades
   1. For example:
      1. Small capital building works.
      2. Purpose built spaces for Telehealth consultations.
      3. Soundproofing of rooms to ensure privacy.
      4. Building upgrades to ensure accessibility of purpose-built spaces.

See a list of suggested equipment and software providers here.

EMPHNs aged care programs team can support all aged care facilities in our region. You can see what region we cover in this PHN Locator Map.

Contact us at RACFsupport@emphn.org.au.