- Published:
- Wednesday 21 December 2016
Patients across Victoria will have better access to higher quality health care, sooner and closer to home thanks to a funding boost from the Andrews Labor Government.
Minister for Health Jill Hennessy today announced the seven ground-breaking new projects receiving funding through the second round of the Labor Government’s $10 million Better Care Victoria Innovation Fund.
Better Care Victoria, launched in March this year and led by an independent board chaired by former AMA President Dr Douglas Travis, will improve patient care and treatment by identifying, sharing and embedding the best new ideas across the health system.
The $10 million Better Care Victoria fund will support projects that improve the efficiency and productivity of our health system, improve patient outcomes and reduce waiting times.
Key projects include:
- A new partnership for Melbourne hospitals to try to reduce the time cancer patients spend in hospital
- Funding for Alfred Health to develop and implement alternative services for elderly patients who experience falls, but may not require hospitalisation
- A new model to reduce unnecessary admissions, emergency and fracture clinic attendances
- Working alongside the Emergency Care Clinical Network to speed up the assessment process for patients suffering from acute coronary syndrome
- The development of a new streamlined system to improve the experience of patients with chronic medical conditions
- A new telehealth project to provide geriatric care online across the Loddon Mallee region
- A new telehealth project to deliver emergency medical advice online and afterhours to remote South Gippsland hospitals
Better Care Victoria was a key recommendation from the Travis Review, the most comprehensive audit ever undertaken into the capacity of Victoria’s hospitals.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Jill Hennessy
“With growing pressure on our health system it’s vital we find new ways of doing things if we want to keep pace with demand and drive improvement across our health system.”
“Victoria is home to some of the brightest clinical minds. Through our Better Care Victoria Fund we’re drawing on this expertise to find new, more efficient and effective ways of providing access to high quality care.”