Strengthening Regional Health: Specialist Virtual Care Backs Local Clinicians Around the Clock
Announcement posted by My Emergency Doctor 25 Aug 2026
Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network (BHFLHN) and Connected Medical Solutions (My Emergency Doctor - MED) have successfully rolled out virtual emergency specialist support across Kapunda, Tanunda, and Angaston Hospitals.
Designed to address rural health pressures including workforce fatigue, long travel distances, and unpredictable after-hours demand, the initiative has enabled 89% of patients to receive safe care directly in their home communities.
Since launching, senior emergency physicians (FACEMs) have provided 306 virtual consultations via video, supporting local nursing and medical teams. The service delivered rapid access to specialist care, averaging a wait time of under one minute for a Patient Support Officer and just 18 minutes for a FACEM assessment.
Only necessary high-acuity cases - such as severe trauma or sepsis - were transferred to larger hospitals.
Crucially, 74% of consultations occurred during after-hours periods (6pm-8am), directly closing coverage gaps when on-call coverage is most stretched. The majority of presentations were moderate in urgency, with 57% categorized as Triage CAT3 and 38% as CAT4.
"Remote Emergency Physicians (FACEMs) step in seamlessly to support our regional clinicians when needed. It's not just a video consult; it's a robust collaboration that ensures a patient gets immediate access to senior emergency specialist decision-making, right alongside their local care team," said Associate Professor Dr. Sharon Morton, Executive Director Medical Services at BHFLHN.
"Providing rapid, high-standard clinical decision-making to regional facilities like Kapunda, Tanunda, and Angaston is at the heart of what we do. Our team is proud to stand alongside local healthcare teams to safeguard patient care around the clock," added Dr. Tatiana Lowe, Medical Director at Connected Medical Solutions.
Within the first eight weeks, service demand nearly doubled original forecasts.
In response, BHFLHN and MED expanded the partnership to deliver 24/7 coverage for Angaston Hospital's Emergency Department (from 0800 Tuesday to 0800 Friday) alongside integrated coverage for its acute inpatient ward.
The service reduces reliance on costly fly-in fly-out locums while providing real-time peer guidance and clinical confidence for regional nurses.
BHFLHN's experience reflects a challenge many rural and regional health services are navigating at once: fewer available clinicians and rising costs for temporary coverage.
"It provides timely access to senior emergency expertise, strengthens our local clinical teams, and supports safer, more sustainable care for our communities." stated Kylie Williams, GAICD, Executive Director Operations at BHFLHN.
Key Outcomes at a Glance:
- 306 Consultations: Delivered across three hospital sites over four months (March to June 2026).
- 89% Treated Locally: 86.6% managed in situ and 2.6% admitted locally without requiring transfer.
- 74% After-Hours: Rapid specialist access between 6pm and 8am.
- Fast Response: 18-minute average wait for emergency specialist FACEM assessment
About Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network (BHFLHN)
Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network (BHFLHN) provides healthcare services to people living across the Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu Peninsula, and Kangaroo Island, supporting individuals and families at every stage of life.
At BHFLHN, care is person-centred, locally informed and built on strong relationships because good health care starts with understanding people and place.
About Connected Medical Solutions / My Emergency Doctor (MED)
Connected Medical Solutions is Australia's leading connected care provider, delivering integrated, multi-disciplinary healthcare through My Emergency Doctor (MED), Psych2U, and GP2U. Together, we connect community health, ambulance services, and rural/remote facilities directly with specialist emergency physicians, psychiatrists, GPs, and Allied Health practitioners to deliver acute, on-demand, senior clinical decision-making and alleviate critical infrastructure strain.
Rather than operating as standard telehealth, our services provide practical, multi-disciplinary senior clinical support, right at the point of care.
We support more than 400+ health services including Darling Downs HHS, Barossa Hills Fleurieu LHN, Far West HHS, Murrumbidgee LHD, St John of God, and Ramsey Healthcare with:
- Experienced emergency medical authority when local teams need backup
- Virtual psychiatry, allied health, and GPs to help patients access comprehensive care closer to home
- Clear clinical governance to support safe, consistent decision-making
- Operational stability for rural, regional, and remote services under pressure
Our goal is not to replace local doctors, GPs, VMOs, or existing state healthcare frameworks. Instead, our team is built to support and strengthen the people already on the ground. We improve patient continuity, ensure thorough documentation, and help teams make confident, safe escalation decisions when clinical responsibilities are at their highest.