The RACH Telehealth Training Program seeks to:

• provide nationally consistent and resident-centric telehealth training that is readily available for RACH staff and visiting or remote-end clinicians
• address a gap in providing training and support to uplift the telehealth capability of residential aged care homes
• ensure a safe, effective, and available service for older Australians reducing the need for unnecessary transfers for clinical services.

About the project

Obvious Choice, an award-winning learning design agency with experience designing training programs within the aged care sector, has been contracted to deliver the program.

The initiative will enhance the skills of RACH staff and visiting or remote-end clinicians through the development of:

• sixty, 6-minute learning modules, featuring authentic case studies, video mentoring and downloadable checklists
• and comprehensive performance support resources.

Additionally, simple animations and fact sheets will be developed to engage residents, families, and caregivers effectively. The project team is also working to ensure the training program meets accreditation requirements for nurses and GPs.

Training package

The unique needs of the key audiences: residents, clinicians, families and carers, are being factored into the design of the training package to optimise engagement.

Within the specialised module streams there is a ‘telehealth self-diagnostic,’ that requires three minutes to complete, resulting in personalised learning plans, listing priority modules based on knowledge gaps.

Modules introduce and demonstrate the use of companion resources designed to build and consolidate the confidence and capability of learners. Learners can access these resources as downloadable assets during the learning experience or via a searchable digital ‘library.’

The training package will be made available to Residential Aged Care Homes early in the new year – delivery is on track for March 2024.