RDHS Joins Health Connect Project

Robinvale District Health Services (RDHS) has joined the Northern Mallee Health Connect to work with this innovative model.

Working in partnership with Mildura Base Public Hospital (MBPH), Robinvale follows Mallee Track Health & Community Services (MTHCS) as the second hospital in the region to use the virtual model as another opportunity to provide patient care closer to home.

Initiated through the Northern Mallee Integrated Partnership (NMIP), a collaboration formed in November 2021 between MBPH, Mallee MTHCS and RDHS the Northern Mallee Health Connect project is aimed at leveraging virtual care platforms to improve healthcare accessibility across the Northern Mallee catchment area.

Recognising the challenges faced by rural communities in accessing timely and comprehensive healthcare services, particularly due to shortages in rural healthcare workforce and logistical constraints, NMIP has identified virtual care platforms as pivotal tools in extending the reach of health service delivery.

One of the primary objectives of the project is to facilitate remote admissions to health facilities within the catchment area, with Robinvale now able to add this specialised service to their Acute Services patient admissions .

By exploring innovative patient admission options, the project seeks to alleviate pressure on overburdened regional healthcare facilities like the MBPH, thereby ensuring efficient allocation of internal resources, whilst promoting care closer to home which has a significant positive influence of patient outcomes..

The Northern Mallee Health Connect project enables seamless patient transfers from MBPH to local health services closer to their homes, provided their medical condition and acuity levels meet predefined parameters and consent is obtained from the patient or their caregiver.

Patients admitted under this scheme may remain under the care of MBPH or local GPs, with remote management facilitated by the relevant clinical teams at the receiving locations.

“The Northern Mallee Health Connect project represents a significant step towards enhancing healthcare accessibility and quality in our region,” said MBPH CEO Terry Welch.

“By harnessing the potential of virtual care platforms and optimising patient transfer processes, we aim to ensure that every individual in our community receives timely and comprehensive healthcare services, regardless of their location.

Robinvale District Health Services CEO Ro Enever said they were delighted to be working with MBPH and joining Mallee Track in being able to include this innovative program in RDHS’s pathways of bringing patients back to Robinvale to be cared for closer to their home.

“We are delighted to be working with MBPH to deliver care closer to home for people who live in the Robinvale and Euston catchment. The staff at Robinvale are highly skilled and able to provide care for our community. This arrangement will allow members of the community to receive specialist medical services from MBPH in conjunction with RDHS expert nursing and allied health care at Robinvale Hospital. We will be using the latest technology to enable the community to receive safe, high quality care.”