Dr Ben Nash on the virtual emergency department
Meet Dr. Ben Nash
To say that Dr Ben Nash is immersed in the type 1 diabetes community would be an understatement. A consultant endocrinologist living with type 1 diabetes himself, his entire immediate family also lives with type 1.
“It’s pretty outrageous – my mum, dad and sister all have type 1 diabetes, I was the last to get it when I was diagnosed at 17,” he explains.
“It has been a life of all of us injecting around the family dinner table together.
“To top things off, my partner of over eight years was also diagnosed with type 1 not too long ago.
“I decided to pursue a career as an endocrinologist, which is probably not ideal for work-life balance.”
The Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED).
Dr Nash grew up in regional Victoria and understands how difficult it can be to access diabetes care outside of Melbourne.
He is passionate about using technology to remove the barrier of distance and has been one of the driving forces behind the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department’s new diabetes service, VVED Diabetes.
The Australian Centre for Accelerating Diabetes Innovations (ACADI), Diabetes Victoria, Ambulance Victoria, Northern Health, and Royal Flying Doctors Service have worked together to build a service that will transform the way diabetes emergencies are managed in Australia.
Not only will the service benefit Victorians in regional areas who have limited access to specialist diabetes care, it is also expected to reduce hospital admissions for people most at risk of acute complications.
The concept was inspired by the success of the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED).
“We believe this is a world-first virtual emergency department for people living with diabetes,” Dr Nash explains.
“The overarching aim is to provide all Victorian communities with the right diabetes care, in the right place, at the right time.
“People living with diabetes are constantly navigating high and low blood glucose levels and this puts them at higher risk of life-threatening emergencies.
“Essentially, VVED Diabetes provides access to cost-free, urgent telehealth care – delivered by clinicians and nurse practitioners – enabling better triaging of potential diabetes emergencies.”
Paramedics across Victoria will also be equipped with blood ketone level testing kits, supplied by Abbott Diabetes Care, to check help identify diabetic ketoacidosis.
They will then determine if the person with diabetes can be managed safely at home, avoiding unnecessary trips to hospital.
“This initiative will show that common, non-life-threatening diabetes emergencies can be assessed and managed in the community,” Dr Nash says.
“Having access to specialist care will reduce avoidable hospitalisations and empower people with diabetes to live healthier at home.”
Dr Nash was integral in developing the service, offering the rare perspective of a clinician with lived experience.
He expects the data generated by the Victorian service will underpin the development of a national equivalent.
“Our hope is that this service will be used as a model that can rolled out nationally,” he says.
“This innovative service will engage priority groups and strengthen digital capability across our healthcare system.
“We hope the Victorian service will work in synergy with the Diabetes Victoria Clinic and local health networks, improving both acute and chronic care.”
Join us for the launch of the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department-Diabetes Service this Thursday during National Diabetes Week. The first of its kind in Australia, this service offers emergency specialist support for those living with diabetes. Don’t miss out on learning more about this revolutionary step forward in healthcare. Register here.
