The Ministry of Health and Aged Care is rolling out telehealth services for residents in aged care homes as part of its aged care reform actions.
The agency recently issued a request for bids for a provider or group of providers of telehealth solutions to provide virtual nursing services to 30 unnamed nursing homes.
“Successful providers will be responsible for delivering patient-centered care through telehealth (videoconferencing) consultations,” the request states.
They are expected to provide initial and ongoing training to staff on how to use the virtual nursing platform.
The Department also intends to conduct an initial assessment of existing and accessible technology in each nursing home, and then embed the necessary technology or upgrade existing technology to support the delivery of virtual nursing services.
Clinical and technical governance mechanisms, which may include frameworks, policies or procedures, are also expected to be developed and integrated.
Finally, telehealth providers have a duty to provide necessary information to residents and their families in an “easy-to-understand format.” This includes information about “the rights of the client, family, and/or caregiver regarding the provision of care through virtual nursing.”
THE BIGGER TREND
Virtual nursing is part of initiatives to maximize direct care time under an action plan to meet a 10-year goal Aged care data and digital strategy. The project “will support the development and testing of a framework for providing safe and high-quality virtual nursing support in aged care,” the department said. It also aims 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 home aged care workers. The training teaches them how to deliver safe and effective telehealth services, which could help fill the aged care gap in rural communities. The training consists of 62 six-minute modules, each accredited for GP and nurse hours. Topics range from selecting the right location and equipment to best practices in providing end-of-life care and troubleshooting technology.
