24/7 Command Centre transforming regional healthcare delivery - WA Country Health Service

Initiative: 3.1.03 – Identify, design and build digital capabilities required to improve and scale virtual care, particularly in rural and remote areas.

Partner: WA Country Health Service

More than a quarter of Australians live in rural and remote areas. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has found that these 7 million Australians experience poorer health outcomes than those in capital cities because they have limited access to, and use of, primary healthcare services.

The WA Country Health Service (WACHS) is at the forefront of driving health equity and the overall wellbeing of people living in regional and remote communities. Its network of public hospitals, health services and nursing posts covers 2.5 million square kilometres and supports more than 500,000 regional and remote residents, 11% of whom identify as Aboriginal.

Central to that support is the WACHS Command Centre, where 24/7 virtual services are enhancing healthcare delivery to ensure residents receive timely and effective healthcare on country and close to home.

Launched in 2019, the Command Centre builds on WACHS’ world-leading Emergency Telehealth Service, which has been operating since 2012. The Command Centre harnesses telehealth technology and real-time data to bring new and existing services together in a virtual clinical hub, including: 

• Acute Specialist Telehealth Service
• Acute Patient Transfer Coordination
• Emergency Telehealth Service
• Mental Health Emergency Telehealth Service
• Advanced Patient Monitoring System
• Inpatient Telehealth Service.

“Technology provides a crucial link in delivering timely medical assessment and intervention; reducing the burden of travel, improving healthcare equity, … and has a significant social impact on health outcomes and overall wellbeing,” WACHS Executive Director Strategy and Change, Melissa Vernon said.

Progress so far

WACHS trials and implements technological innovations that connect local doctors and nurses virtually with clinical specialists to deliver quality healthcare to residents. Among its achievements is the ability to conduct virtual ward rounds for patients in country hospitals with limited specialist staff, reducing the need for patient transfers.

Demand for Command Centre services has increased since its launch. In 2023-24 it conducted:

• 33,654 emergency telehealth service consultations, preventing the transfer of 77% of patients
• 3,050 emergency mental health consultations
• 2,695 midwifery and obstetrics emergency consultations, preventing the transfer of 78% of patients
• 898 palliative after-hours telehealth services
• 81 emergency telehealth staff education sessions involving 1,564 staff.

WACHS’ 2023-24 Annual Report shows its telehealth services saved patients $4.56 million in fuel costs and reduced carbon emissions by 4,800 tonnes.

The Command Centre’s telehealth expertise has drawn the attention of Digital Health Cooperative Research Centre and University of Sydney researchers. The 3 organisations are studying a virtual emergency service WACHS has been operating in one Indigenous community for 3 years to understand how technology can be leveraged to enhance healthcare access for regional communities. WACHS anticipates expanding this service to other communities pending the results of the study.

Outcome 3:  Inclusive

This initiative relates to National Digital Health Strategy Outcome 3: Inclusive, which is focused on improving and expanding virtual care.

Strategy Delivery Roadmap 

For more information, refer to Roadmap Initiative 3.1.03.