Mallacoota and surrounding areas will have an after-hours urgent care medical service delivered by emergency medicine specialists from My Emergency Doctor (MED).
Gippsland Primary Health Network (Gippsland PHN) has commissioned MED, Australia’s first virtual emergency doctor service led by experienced senior emergency specialists, to deliver the after-hours service until 31 December 2022.
The initiative follows feedback from the local community last year. Gippsland PHN commissioned the Mallacoota Community Consumer Survey, conducted by the Health Issues Centre. One of the key themes identified was a lack of after-hours medical services in Mallacoota.
Gippsland PHN Acting Chief Executive Officer, Angela Jacob, said the new service would address these issues raised by the local community in the survey.
“MED is an on-demand telehealth service that has been operating since 2016 to provide senior specialist emergency doctor led services with health professionals and patients across Australia, especially in rural and remote areas,” Ms Jacob said. “More than 100 specialist emergency doctors are on call along with highly trained Patient Support Officers (PSO) who transfer the patient upon the initial call.
“The service is led by specialist doctors – Fellows of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (FACEMs) – where emergency medicine is their specialty.”
Read the full media release below.
Media release – New after-hours emergency medical service for far East Gippsland 01022022