eHealth NSW, in partnership with the Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI) is supporting NSW Local Health Districts (LHDs) and Speciality Health Networks (SHNs) to implement a Virtual Care – Remote Patient Monitoring (VC-RPM) Program. The VC-RPM Program will initially focus on patients with type 2 diabetes, type 2 diabetes with chronic heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The Challenge
Diabetes is the epidemic of the 21st century and one of the biggest challenges confronting Australia’s health system.[1]
The total annual cost impact of diabetes in Australia is estimated at $17.6 billion (inflation adjusted).[2] Diabetes is the seventh most common cause of death by disease in Australia.[3]
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians are 3 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than non-Indigenous Australians.[3] They are 4.3 times more likely to be hospitalised with type 2 diabetes, and four times as likely to die from it.[3]
NSW Health identified that residents of regional NSW have poorer health outcomes and face significant challenges in accessing health and hospital services compared to people living in metropolitan areas.[3]
The VC-RPM Program aligns with the NSW Regional Health Strategic Plan 2022-2032 for a sustainable, equitable and integrated health system delivering outcomes that matter most to patients, including those living in regional, rural and remote New South Wales (NSW). The VC-RPM Program will offer greater support for isolated patients.
The VC-RPM Program also aligns to the NSW Virtual Care Strategy, which aims to support key outcomes focusing on patient centredness, equity of access to care and building the confidence of consumers of virtual care and care providers.
The VC-RPM program will allow participating patients to be cared for conveniently and safely in the comfort of their home, at work, on Country or in community settings.
This program is expected to help reduce pressures on the hospital system by reducing admissions, presentations to emergency department as well as wait and travel time for patients.
The Plan
The VC-RPM Program is a 2-year program of work, initially starting in July 2022 and is due to conclude in June 2024. Telstra Health has been engaged to deliver the VC-RPM Program to NSW LHDs and SHNs under a state-based contract.
The VC-RPM Program will include the use of a clinician portal and a patient application to support the delivery of clinical care virtually. Patients will receive a personalised kit, including Bluetooth biometric devices such as an easy-to-use smart tablet, infrared thermometer, blood glucose monitor, pulse oximeter, blood pressure monitor and weight scales. The devices track a patient’s vital signs and allows them to record their symptoms. This data automatically flows through to their healthcare team. Healthcare professionals can then use this information to monitor their patients virtually and will receive automated alerts if a patient’s condition begins to deteriorate enabling them to quickly intervene.
In addition to caring for patients virtually, the healthcare team will support patients and carers to increase their ability to self-measure and growing their own understanding on how to best manage their health from the comfort of their home.
The VC-RPM Program will initially focus on patients with type 2 diabetes and type 2 diabetes with chronic heart failure. Patients who have been hospitalised as a result of their condition will be prioritised.
The VC-RPM Program will expand in the future to include patients living with other conditions.
The Outcome
The VC-RPM Program will be piloted from mid-2023 and the NSW Ministry of Health will conduct monitoring and evaluation of the program prior to further implementation.
The Benefits
The VC-RPM Program can provide a range of benefits for services, healthcare professionals, patients and their families, including carers.
Services will benefit from:
- A reduction in Emergency Department (ED) presentations
- A reduction in hospital admissions
- Decreased lengths of stay
- Improved safety and quality of care
- Better integrated models of care.
Healthcare professionals will benefit from:
- Enhanced clinical support
- Timely access to specialist clinical advice and care coordination for both patients and clinicians
- Early detection and timely intervention to avoid deterioration through virtual support
- A digitally capable workforce
- An opportunity to retain workforce and support professional development resulting from increased flexibility and efficiency, reduced unnecessary travel time, and improved clinical networks and collaboration.
Patients, carers and families will benefit from:
- Care that can be provided close to home, minimising unnecessary transfers and delays to treatment, and helping patients remain with their families or carers
- The opportunity for better coordinated care and more equitable and timely access to care
- The ability to receive care on Country for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.
[1] Diabetes Australia. Facts about diabetes in Australia. Last accessed April 2023.
[2] Lee CM, Colagiuri R, Magliano DJ, Cameron AJ, Shaw J, Zimmet P, Colagiuri S. The cost of diabetes in adults in Australia. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2013 Mar;99(3):385-90. doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2012.12.002. Epub 2013 Jan 5. PMID: 23298663.
[3] NSW Health. NSW Regional Health Strategic Plan 2022-2032.
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