Victoria, Australia, is set to launch a virtual specialist hospital providing remote cardiac and maternity care, a move designed to ease emergency department congestion and improve statewide access to specialist services.
The six-month pilot program, led by The Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) and Austin Health, marks a significant advance in Victoria’s shift toward digitally integrated healthcare.
State-funded initiative to begin in December 2025
Backed by $1.97 million from the 2025–2026 state budget, the program is set to begin in December 2025. It will initially provide virtual heart failure and post-cardiac care to more than 250 patients.
The pilot will also feature virtual fetal monitoring, allowing clinics to transmit ultrasound images to specialists at The Royal Women’s Hospital in real time.
Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said the initiative reinforces Victoria’s commitment to healthcare innovation. “This pilot will make it easier for patients to access care,” she said. “Expanding the RMH digital coordination centre will also help paramedics return to service faster.”
Digital coordination to ease emergency bottlenecks
The RMH Digital Coordination Centre will manage ambulance demand, hospital capacity, and patient flow across the network. By analyzing statewide data, the system aims to allocate resources more efficiently and reduce emergency department delays—a persistent issue in Victoria’s health network.
The pilot will conclude in June 2026, followed by a comprehensive evaluation of patient outcomes, experience, technology usability, and equitable access. Officials stated that the project aims to demonstrate that virtual specialist services can match the quality of in-person care, particularly for patients in rural and regional areas.
Addressing wait times and regional gaps
The initiative comes amid growing concern over emergency department congestion and ambulance ramping. Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare show that patients waited an average of nearly two hours to see a doctor in 2023–2024. Ambulance Victoria reported some paramedics waited up to 10 hours due to bed shortages.
Officials said the virtual hospital will directly benefit regional Victorians, enabling smaller facilities to consult urban specialists remotely and reduce patient transfers.
Building on Victoria’s digital health momentum
The pilot builds on the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED), which received $286 million this year to double capacity and become a permanent service. It also extends Ambulance Victoria’s Telestroke Inpatient Service, linking regional hospitals to neurologists and stroke specialists in real time.
These initiatives mirror national digital health trends. According to GlobalData, Australia’s digital health market is projected to grow at an annual rate of 8% through 2033, driven by an aging population and increasing rates of chronic illnesses. A new 10-year pilot in 30 aged-care homes will integrate telehealth, artificial intelligence (AI), and virtual nursing, expanding connected-care capabilities.
Victoria supports this transition through its Skills Solutions Partnerships program, which has trained over 360 healthcare professionals in digital health, AI, and data management.
If successful, the Virtual Specialist Hospital could redefine specialist care delivery in Victoria, bringing expert medical support directly to patients’ homes and advancing the future of connected, equitable healthcare across Australia.
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Macayan, D. (2025, October 29). Victoria, Australia pilots virtual specialist hospital to expand care. Outsource Accelerator. Retrieved from https://news.outsourceaccelerator.com/victoria-virtual-specialist/
Healthcare Asia Magazine. (n.d.). Australia’s digital health market poised for growth amidst rising demand. Retrieved from https://healthcareasiamagazine.com/healthcare/news/australias-digital-health-market-poised-growth-amidst-rising-demand
