The Australian aged care sector is at a crossroads. With growing pressure from an ageing population, widespread workforce shortages, and increasing demand for personalised, multidisciplinary care, the industry must embrace new models of service delivery. Telehealth and virtual care are no longer emerging innovations—they’re becoming essential infrastructure.

The question is: will aged care providers and policymakers act quickly enough to make these models sustainable?

Where We Are Now: The Rise of Telehealth in Aged Care

The shift to virtual care in aged care has accelerated significantly post-pandemic. From general practice consultations to specialist services and allied health, telehealth has become a practical way to maintain continuity of care—especially in rural and remote regions.

In 2024, the Australian Government launched a $31.2 million Virtual Nursing in Aged Care pilot in partnership with Amplar Health. Targeting up to 30 residential aged care homes, this initiative aims to test the viability of nurse-led virtual care models in areas where staffing or location pose barriers to quality care. With La Trobe University evaluating the program, results will shape the national strategy through 2027 and beyond.

Virtual Care in Action: Providers Leading the Way

A number of aged care providers are not just experimenting—they’re leading the shift to virtual-first care models.

Bupa Aged Care: A Brave Step Forward

Bupa’s Wellness Hub model stands out. What began as a pilot in six regional Queensland homes has now expanded to 57 aged care homes nationally. Nurse practitioners based in regional hubs provide virtual clinical oversight, medication management, and coordination of allied health and specialist services.

While the model delivers faster clinical decision-making and improves workforce satisfaction, Bupa has raised concerns about long-term sustainability under the current “care minutes” funding model, which may inadvertently penalise innovation.

Southern Cross Care: Virtual Wellness for All

Southern Cross Care (SA, NT & VIC) has taken a different but equally important path with its Better for Life Online program. Through free virtual classes and one-on-one consultations with dietitians, exercise physiologists, and other allied health professionals, the provider is using technology to promote healthy ageing and proactive wellbeing.

Healthy North Coast: Infrastructure-Led Innovation

In partnership with local aged care homes, Healthy North Coast rolled out telehealth hardware and training to more than 78% of homes in its service area. Their equipment ranges from tablets to clinical-grade telehealth carts, helping staff and GPs deliver more timely, higher-quality remote care.

Why Allied Health Must Be Part of the Virtual Care Conversation

While virtual GP and nursing services are growing, there’s significant untapped potential in allied health.

Allied health professionals—physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, speech pathologists—play a critical role in maintaining function, independence, and wellbeing. Yet access is often inconsistent, particularly outside metro areas. Telehealth can bridge that gap:

• Reduced travel delays and faster response times
• Greater choice of specialists, regardless of geography
• Cost-effective service delivery for short consultations and group sessions
• Better integration into broader care teams, including nurses and GPs

By embedding allied health into virtual care frameworks, aged care providers can offer truly holistic support—both reactively and preventatively.

Virtual Care Models Could Solve Workforce Challenges

Australia’s aged care workforce faces ongoing pressure, especially in regional and remote communities. Virtual care presents a practical solution to this challenge:

• Nurse practitioners and clinical leaders can support multiple sites virtually, extending reach without physical relocation.
• Telehealth consultations reduce the need for frequent in-person visits, allowing clinicians to serve more clients across larger areas.
• Upskilling and retention of local staff improves as they are supported by virtual clinical teams and continuous education.
• Residents experience fewer transfers to hospitals or metropolitan centres, improving continuity and quality of life.

This model isn’t about replacing face-to-face care—it’s about making every in-person interaction count by augmenting it with timely, expert support when needed.

The Critical Need for Investment and Policy Reform

While telehealth has come a long way, major barriers remain:

• Funding misalignment: Innovative models like Bupa’s are not fully recognised within current care minute frameworks, despite their clinical effectiveness.
• Technology gaps: Some aged care homes lack basic infrastructure or staff training to implement telehealth effectively.
• Inconsistent policy: Regulation varies across states, and there is no national telehealth framework tailored for aged care.
• Lack of digital capacity in allied health: Many professionals are not yet supported or incentivised to deliver care virtually.

The upcoming National Allied Health Digital Uplift Plan, led by the Department of Health and Aged Care and Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA), may address some of these gaps. But long-term success will depend on stable funding models, infrastructure investment, and regulatory clarity that supports both innovation and safety.

Is There a Provider Brave Enough to Lead?

In many ways, Bupa Aged Care has already answered this question. Their virtual-first model demonstrates that it’s not only possible but effective to deliver safe, high-quality aged care at scale through telehealth.

Others—like Southern Cross Care, Healthy North Coast, and WA Country Health Service—are proving that innovation isn’t confined to big-city providers.

But for virtual care to become a core care model, not just a complementary tool, we need:

• Government funding tied to outcomes, not just inputs
• Industry-wide digital capability uplift
• National standards for virtual clinical care
• Brave leadership from providers who are ready to reimagine care

A Time for Courage and Commitment

Virtual care is not a “nice-to-have” in aged care—it’s an essential part of future-ready service delivery. With the right investment, policy support, and leadership, virtual models can:

• Improve access to allied health and specialist care
• Reduce hospital transfers and clinical delays
• Empower regional aged care services
• Enhance workforce sustainability
• Deliver better outcomes for older Australians

The question now isn’t if we should scale virtual care. It’s who will lead—and whether we’ll fund them properly to do it.