維多利亞州擴大虛擬醫院計劃，以改善偏遠地區醫療服務的可及性
Victoria Expands Virtual Hospital Program to Improve Rural Health Access
維多利亞政府正透過擴大其「虛擬醫院」計畫來實現醫療現代化。
The Victorian Government is modernizing healthcare through the expansion of its "Virtual Hospital" program.
此一創舉將醫院級的護理直接帶入維多利亞偏遠及農村地區居民的家中，旨在減輕病患必須前往大都會中心接受專科治療的負擔。
This initiative brings hospital-level care directly into the homes of regional and rural Victorians, aiming to reduce the burden of traveling to metropolitan centers for specialist treatment.
該計畫由墨爾本皇家醫院（The Royal Melbourne Hospital）與奧斯汀醫療系統（Austin Health）共同領導，提供諸如心臟復健虛擬病房與遠端胎兒醫學諮詢等專業服務。
Co-led by The Royal Melbourne Hospital and Austin Health, the program offers specialized services such as virtual wards for cardiac recovery and remote fetal medicine consultations.
透過穿戴式裝置與影像技術，病患可在舒適的自己家中康復，同時持續接受多領域醫療團隊的照護。
By utilizing wearable devices and video technology, patients can recover in the comfort of their own homes while remaining under the constant care of a multidisciplinary medical team.
自2025年12月啟動以來，此試點項目已省下超過1,000個醫院病床日，並成功治療了汪加拉塔（Wangaratta）與本迪戈（Bendigo）等多個偏遠中心的數百名患者。
Since starting in December 2025, the pilot has already saved over 1,000 hospital bed days and successfully treated hundreds of patients across regional centers like Wangaratta and Bendigo.
作為去中心化醫療專業資源更廣泛策略的一部分，此「在家醫院」模式與維多利亞永久性的虛擬急診部（Victorian Virtual Emergency Department）截然不同。
As part of a broader strategy to decentralize healthcare expertise, this "hospital-in-the-home" model is distinct from the permanent Victorian Virtual Emergency Department.
透過聚焦於效率與病患舒適度，該專案確保了無論郵遞區號為何，病患皆能獲得高品質的照護，這終將強化該州的醫療能量，並改善偏遠社區的康復成效。
By focusing on efficiency and patient comfort, the project ensures that high-quality care is accessible regardless of a patient's postcode, ultimately strengthening the state's healthcare capacity and improving recovery outcomes for rural communities.
