# Evaluating the satisfaction of patients utilising the virtual emergency department service in southeast region of Melbourne

## TL;DR

This study evaluates how satisfied patients are with a virtual emergency department service in southeast Melbourne.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into patient satisfaction with virtual emergency care initiated by paramedics and RACF staff.

## Key findings

- 94.5% of 452 patient responses had no negative comments.
- 75.4% of patients rated the service 8 out of 10 or higher.
- 83.4% of patients would recommend the service to others.

## Abstract

Evaluate patient satisfaction with paramedic and residential aged care facility (RACF) staff‐initiated tele‐emergency care through the Southeast Melbourne Virtual ED.

Patient satisfaction surveys were conducted across two of the constituent virtual EDs (VEDs).

Of 452 responses, 427 (94.5%) had no negative comments, with 341 (75.4%) rating the service 8 out of 10 or higher, and 83.4% would recommend the service to family or friends.

Emergency telehealth services were favoured by patients, with ratings comparable to satisfaction scores in physical EDs. Upskilling of emergency clinicians for telehealth consultations and educational programmes could provide further improvements to patient experiences.