A Melbourne hospital's virtual emergency department program will be doubled, in another move to relieve COVID-related pressure on Victoria's health system.
Up to 500 patients a day will be able to access a video consultation from home with an emergency doctor or nurse as part of the Northern Hospital's virtual service.
Eligible patients will also be connected to the program by paramedics on scene for virtual assessment, management and referral.
In addition, eligibility criteria is being expanded to aged care residents and "COVID Positive Pathways" patients, paving the way for greater access to antiviral treatments.
The expansion of the virtual ED service was unveiled by the Victorian government on Monday as part of a previously announced $162 million health package.
"We will continue this virtual ED and, in fact, we'll grow it. COVID or no COVID - it's working that well," Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters.
In further new measures, Ambulance Victoria's offload teams will be expanded to 14 major public hospitals, new rostering patterns trialled for advanced life-support paramedics in four Melbourne areas, and surge workforce arrangements extended for another three months.
The promises come a day after the Andrews government pledged to hire 400 extra specialist workers across 12 hospitals to combat rising COVID-19 hospitalisations and staff absenteeism.
Almost 1900 health workers were off work sick on Sunday, Mr Andrews said.
"We're in for a challenging time over the next few weeks and indeed beyond that," he noted.
Victoria reported 10,251 new COVID-19 cases and 18 deaths on Monday, as the number of people battling the virus in hospital jumped to 821.
