Stakeholder Perspectives of the Delivery of Tele-Emergency Care: Insights from the Southeast Melbourne Virtual Emergency Department

Background: Emergency department (ED) demand is increasing due to rising patient complexity and an aging population complicated by limited access to general practitioners. Virtual emergency departments (VEDs) have been proposed as an alternative to deliver high-quality care for some ED presentations. This qualitative study explores stakeholder experiences with the Southeast Melbourne Virtual Emergency Department to inform future development of telehealth services. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted utilising semi-structured interviews with 24 stakeholders, including emergency physicians, geriatricians, general practitioners, and residential aged care staff. Content analysis was performed to identify key enablers, challenges, and opportunities for improvement. Results: Stakeholders reported that the VED facilitated high-quality care in the community and worked well by coordinating with follow-up services. Themes identified were that the services were particularly beneficial for older adults and palliative care patients. Challenges included technological limitations and some clinician scepticism about delivering care via telehealth. Further integration with community services and standardised telehealth training were identified as opportunities for enhancement. Conclusions: The VED was perceived as an effective model for community-based emergency care. Future implementations should prioritise clinician training, technological infrastructure, and service integration to optimise patient outcomes.