- WA Virtual ED (WAVED) reaches 20,000 consult milestone
- WAVED provides more Western Australians with urgent care from home
- Three in every four WAVED patients avoid a visit to a hospital emergency department
- WAVEDkids has helped almost 3,000 children avoid an emergency department presentation
- New partnerships are improving access for vulnerable and regional Western Australians
More than 20,000 Western Australians have now received care through the WA Virtual Emergency Department (WAVED), helping thousands of patients receive care in their own home or care setting.
Three in every four patients have been treated successfully at home, without the need to travel to their nearest hospital.
WAVED and WAVEDkids connects suitable adults and children with experienced emergency nurses and doctors, who assess whether a patient’s condition can be safely managed virtually.
WAVED was launched in 2023 and was expanded to include paediatric service, WAVEDkids, just over a year ago, with almost 3,000 consultations completed in that time.
Of those consultations, 87 per cent of children avoided having to attend an emergency department (ED), including more than 400 children from regional Western Australia.
WAVED has also strengthened support for vulnerable and regional communities through an expanded partnership with Homeless Healthcare, new referral pathways from Rehabilitation in the Home, and increased Silverchain referrals from regional WA.
The partnership with Homeless Healthcare helps reduce barriers to care and supports earlier intervention for people with complex health and social needs.
Western Australians can access WAVED or WAVEDkids by calling 1800MEDICARE (1800 633 422).
You can learn more about WAVED by clicking the following link to visit the Access Health website: Access Health
As stated by Health Minister Meredith Hammat:
“Whether you’re on a cattle station in the Kimberley or at home in metropolitan Perth, WAVED is giving Western Australians access to high-quality emergency care and advice, no matter where they live.
“WAVED is another tool in our toolbox, giving Western Australians another way to access urgent care and our clinicians another way to deliver it.
“This is about making sure Western Australians can access the right care at the right time, no matter where they live.”
