The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care has been tasked with developing national safety and quality standards for virtual care, supported by the government and Minister for Health and Ageing Mark Butler MP.
The virtual care standards would establish clear, consistent expectations for high-quality care delivered virtually -whether through hospitals, primary and community healthcare, or commercial providers.
The commission would consider a range of options for implementing the standards, working closely with government and partners.
Commission CEO, Conjoint Professor Anne Duggan said the standards would bring the “same rigour” to virtual care that Australians already expect from in-person health services.
“Virtual care is an established and growing part of our health system and it is important that the same expectations of safety and quality apply whether care is delivered in-person or virtually,” Conjoint Professor Duggan said.
“Our leadership in clinical governance describes how health services can provide the right culture, structures, support and leadership to deliver high-quality care. Applying this to virtual care will provide a nationally consistent approach regardless of how or where care is delivered.
“We will work closely with our partners – including the Australian Government, Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and the Australian Digital Health Agency, alongside clinicians, consumers and industry, to ensure the standards reflect best practice and support National Digital Health Infrastructure as a way to uplift and drive consistency in application across the health system.”
Minister Butler endorsed the Commission’s work on national virtual care standards, noting “Australians deserve the same assurance of safety and quality when they receive care through virtual services as when they walk through the door of a hospital or clinic.”
“These standards will ensure quality and safety are built into virtual care from the ground up,” Minister Butler said.
The Commission would develop the standards as part of a national approach to strengthen clinical governance – which aims to drive high-quality care and better outcomes for patients.
The standards would be structured around the Commission’s work to elevate clinical governance in health services and provide best practice, contemporary guidance on governing for consistently high-quality care.
They will build upon the recently released National Model for Clinical Governance.
The Commission expects to publish the standards by the end of 2027.
Add Comment