Virtual care and its benefits
Southern NSW Local Health Districts encourages their health professionals to offer virtual care in addition to face-to-face care where and when appropriate, to help meet the needs of their patients.
Virtual care has many benefits for patients, carers and health professionals. It lets patients access more services, without leaving their home or community. It is convenient and avoids travel time and costs.
Virtual care also gives health care professionals better access to specialists and other health care services, and gives them flexibility in how, where and when they offer their services.
Virtual care appointments need all participants to have access to a reliable internet connection, a suitable device and a private area where they feel comfortable and safe.
Information for patients and carers
You can always ask if virtual care is an option for you when you need a medical appointment. You can attend these appointments from a place that suits you, including home or at a participating local health service.
If you are offered a virtual care appointment, you can choose to accept or not to accept. If you say no, you will still receive care. You don’t have to agree to virtual care and can change your mind at any time.
In Southern NSW Local Health District, virtual care can be delivered in different ways, including:
- telephone – an audio connection between two or more people
- video conference – video connection of two or more people allowing all participants to speak to each other, see each other and exchange information as would be normal practice during a face to face consultation.
- remote monitoring – using technology to collect and send medical data to an app, device or service
- store and forward – where a patient allows clinical information such as scans or images to be collected and sent electronically to another healthcare provider or site for assessment or management.
Find out more about preparing and getting the most out of your virtual care appointment on the NSW Health Virtual care pages.
Contact your local health service to arrange, cancel, reschedule or ask questions about a virtual care appointment with them.
Depending on the type of virtual care, it could include:
- fixed phone line
- an email address
- access to a reliable internet connection
- a suitable device with a camera, microphone and speakers – e.g. Windows or Mac computer, laptop or an Apple iPad/ iPhone or Android smart phone or tablet device.
- a private, well-lit area where you won’t be interrupted.
If you don’t have this equipment, you may be able to attend the consultation in your GP or other healthcare provider’s office, or at your local community health facility or hospital.
There is no cost to you when the service is from your public hospital or local health district. You may be asked to give consent for your healthcare provider to bulk bill Medicare – this is the same as you would do for face-to-face care.
Virtual care will use some of your internet data. A 15-minute video call will use approximately 80MB of your data and a 15-minute audio-only call will use approximately 10MB. Usage depends on your individual mobile, internet or home phone arrangements. Speak to your mobile phone provider if you have questions about how much data you have on your plan.
You and/or your carer or family member should be given all necessary information before the appointment.
This includes:
- the date and time of the appointment
- where to go (if you can’t join from home)
- who will be attending the consultation
- how to set up your technology and how to begin the consultation.
The healthcare provider who made the appointment may share information (such as treatment history) with another local healthcare provider, if you give consent. This helps them to better understand your condition and the type of care you need. All your information is sent securely to ensure your privacy.
In most cases, you can involve family members, carers, GPs, and other healthcare providers in your virtual care appointments, even if they aren't physically with you. Speak to your healthcare provider about how to include them.
Virtual care is not available for all services. We are working to develop more services and make virtual care more widely available where it is appropriate.
If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, contact the service that organised your appointment as soon as possible. A contact number for the service will be on the email or information provided to you.
We want video calls to work for everyone. Support is available if you need:
- live captions (for people who are deaf or hard of hearing)
- an interpreter
- translated information in your language
- easy-read guides (for people with intellectual disability)
- plain English instructions
If you’re having trouble using the video call, speak to your healthcare worker or clinic.
They may be able to:
- test the link with you before the appointment
- offer a phone call instead
- help you find somewhere local to join the call
Ask your healthcare worker for the support you need.
Find a virtual care service
Use our Service Directory to find a health service near you.