Specialist emergency doctors will now be available at Terang and Mortlake Health Service during the after hours period, thanks to the new telehealth pilot being delivered by Western Victoria Primary Health Network (PHN) and My Emergency Dr (MED).

The video-call based service will be used by Urgent Care Centre medical staff in the after hours period via the MED App on a smart phone or tablet, who can remotely access, diagnose and arrange treatment for patients.

The pilot at Terang and Mortlake Health Service UCC will run until 28 August 2020.

Western Victoria PHN chief executive officer, Dr Leanne Beagley, said the use of telehealth has been identified as a potential way to address some workforce challenges.

"The pilot aims to complement the important role that GPs play in the provision of after hours care in the community and responds to some of the significant workforce demands and challenges in rural areas," Dr Beagley said.

"Western Victoria PHN has provided in excess of $550,000 for a range of innovative after hours initiatives to assist primary healthcare service delivery and improve health outcomes across western Victoria."

Western Victoria PHN will also work with Deakin University to evaluate the pilot to see whether telehealth is a financially viable solution to manage after hours service priority issues and whether the model works.

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