The SAVES program operates from 7pm to 7am, seven days a week for 31 participating rural hospitals across South Australia.

SAVES links doctors with patients and their local nurses in country emergency departments via the existing Telehealth Network, enabling face-to-face consults using video conferencing equipment based at the RDWA offices.

Experienced rural GPs provide remote medical assistance to patients who have been triaged by the nursing staff at local emergency departments.

SAVES provides local GPs with the option of being called out to treat patients or allowing them to take a night off with their patients instead treated over the SAVES network.  It is entirely at the decision of the on-call rural GP whether to switch over to SAVES on any given night.

The program is designed to support rural doctors, provide greater flexibility for their operating hours and improve their work-life balance by allowing them to take well-deserved time off.

SAVES provides more options to support rural GPs to provide for the needs of their local communities.

Participating SAVES sites are:

Eyre and Far North LHN
Ceduna; Cleve; Coober Pedy; Cowell; Cummins; Elliston; Kimba; Streaky Bay; Tumby Bay; Wudinna

Yorke and Northern LHN
Balaklava; Booleroo Centre; Burra; Crystal Brook; Jamestown; Laura; Maitland; Orroroo; Peterborough; Port Broughton; Riverton; Snowtown; Yorketown

Flinders and Upper North LHN
Hawker; Quorn; Roxby Downs

Limestone Coast LHN
Bordertown; Kingston; Millicent; Naracoorte; Penola

Contact

For more information about this service please contact
Gretchen Scinta, Exec Director, PHC Workforce & Outreach Services
Phone: 08 8234 8277
Email: Gretchen.Scinta@ruraldoc.com.au