Impact of the Southeast Melbourne Virtual Emergency Department on reducing transfers from residential aged care facilities.

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the impact of the Southeast Melbourne Virtual Emergency Department (SEMVED) on transfers from residential aged care facilities (RACFs) to traditional EDs. METHODS:A cohort study of residents requesting transfer to the ED via ambulance within participating health networks' catchments from April to June 2022. RESULTS:Two hundred thirty-eight VED consultations occurred with 79% (188/238) avoiding transfer. This represented an avoidance of 12% (188/1511) of all requests for transfer during operating hours. CONCLUSIONS:SEMVED prevented unnecessary transfers and enabled in-facility care. Integration into community outreach programmes could enhance care delivery. Patient safety outcomes were not formally assessed by our methodology.