The NSW Government announced the release of the new NSW Virtual Care Strategy which outlines the steps to integrate virtual care as a safe, effective, and accessible option for healthcare delivery in NSW. This will contribute to a world-class and digitally enabled health system that invests in wellness.
THIS WAY UP exemplifies how innovative digital solutions are being used to help people manage their mental health. Based at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, THIS WAY UP provides evidence-based, digital mental health programs that can be accessed on-demand, anytime by people in NSW and across Australia.
The COVID-19 pandemic has seen levels of psychological distress increase across the community. THIS WAY UP aims to help consumers who often face long wait times for specialist care, and clinicians and health services that are struggling to cope with the increased demand.
Over 170,000 people have used THIS WAY UP’s safe and effective online treatment programs for anxiety, depression, stress, chronic pain, and insomnia. THIS WAY UP has also grown a community of over 12,000 clinicians in NSW and 30,000 Australia-wide.
The unique prescription-based model allows GPs (general practitioners), psychologists, psychiatrists and other health professionals in primary care, hospitals, and community mental health to integrate THIS WAY UP’s digital treatments with their patients’ regular care.
What is virtual care?
According to the NSW Government, virtual care, also known as telehealth, safely connects patients with health professionals to deliver care when and where it is needed. It complements the face-to-face care that most people are used to.
In NSW, virtual care can be administered 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 in some cases exchange data simultaneously
- 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 to be collected and sent electronically to another person or site for evaluation or management.
Potential benefits of virtual care for patients, carers and healthcare professionals
Providing world-class healthcare that is personalised, safe and of the highest quality is an NSW Health priority. Virtual care aids this endeavour. Virtual care can assist patients in obtaining more appropriate care faster, and provides benefits for all patients, regardless of their region of residence. It enables patients and families to:
- receive care closer to home, their family and the community
- have increased convenience and choice
- have reduced travel time and cost
- have more equitable and timely access to services to improve continuity of care
- have access to specialist services otherwise not available in their area.
- have the ability to connect with their loved ones through technology.
Healthcare professionals have been using technology to deliver care to patients for decades. Today, with advances in technology, the support for health professionals and benefits for patients and the health system are even greater.
Virtual care supports healthcare professionals by:
- improving access to specialist services and support
- improving clinical networks and professional collaboration
- facilitating flexible service delivery models and multidisciplinary care.
Virtual care supports NSW Health’s vision for a sustainable health system that delivers outcomes that matter to patients and the community, is personalised, invests in wellness and is digitally enabled.