Health disruption over the next decade is inevitable with new innovative models required to deliver scalable healthcare. Care within the home, that is acute-focused is the next step that Australia needs to take to ensure our community can continue to receive affordable and accessible in-patient care.

The Calvary Amplar Health Joint Venture has delivered virtual hospital care to over 200,000 patients in the last three years, with critical learnings gained in how to operationalise a virtual hospital. Understanding that there are several differences between a virtual hospital and a typical Hospital in the Home is key.

Health service planning focusing centrally on the consumer need, with an outcomes-based approach, will help drive sustainable, activity-based funded acute virtual care. Calvary Amplar through the standalone NSQHS accredited virtual hospital has focused on the consumer who is seeking a more accessible, convenient, and personalised care approach.

Technology, including AI, algorithms to identify suitable patients for virtual care and wearable monitoring patches, can help achieve this new era of healthcare. Embracing innovative change to enable new ways of delivering care is paramount, with the demonstrated success of Calvary Amplar’s Virtual Hospital proof of the opportunities available more broadly to Australians requiring inpatient in-home care.