It’s been one year since Albury Wodonga Health’s PATCH (Paediatrics At The Child’s Home) program began bringing hospital-level care to children in the comfort of their own homes.
In that time, PATCH has supported hundreds of children across Albury-Wodonga and surrounding areas, completing more than 600 home visits and transforming how families experience care.
PATCH was born from a simple but powerful idea: bringing the hospital to the child, instead of bringing the child to hospital. It’s the first paediatric model of its kind at AWH, created from the ground up to make family-centred, hospital-level care possible in a regional, cross-border setting.
A different kind of hospital visit
Hospital stays can be distressing for children – disrupting school and family routines and adding stress for parents. PATCH aims to ease that pressure by supporting recovery in a familiar, low-stress environment.
Available to families within a 35km radius of Albury Wodonga Health, the program supports children transitioning from the Special Care Nursery, Children’s Ward, Emergency Departments and by consultant referral. Care can include wound and feeding support, complex IV antibiotics and post-surgery follow-up.
“When a child is unwell, being in the comfort of their own home can make a significant difference,” said Joanna Owen, AWH Nurse Unit Manager, Child and Family Hub.
“This program allows children to receive expert care while reducing hospital admissions. Our specialist PATCH nurse can visit eligible children at home to provide essential medication, treatment and support for a range of illnesses.”
For families, that means keeping daily routines going without the disruption and anxiety of a hospital stay.
After time spent at both the Albury Hospital and The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, one young patient, 9month old Jack, was able to continue his recovery from bacterial meningitis and encephalitis at home while receiving regular visits from our PATCH nurse. While the antibiotic was running Jack could sit and eat his lunch or sit on the floor and play with his own toys.
For Jack’s mum, the program allowed her family to feel supported and maintain some of their normal routine, avoiding extra trips into hospital and ensuring Jack was more relaxed while receiving treatment.
Another child, a 14-year-old boy, recovering from septic arthritis and multiple paraspinal abscesses, spent nearly a month on PATCH, receiving daily home visits for IV antibiotics. Without the service, his family would have faced weeks of hospital stays. Instead, they were able to keep family life going, with hospital-level care delivered at home.
Growing the program
Currently, PATCH has one lead nurse, Nicole Varman, who has worked as a paediatric nurse for over 20 years and helped build the program from the ground up.
“Starting PATCH wasn’t easy - we had to build everything from scratch, including policies, processes and education,” Nicole said. “But it’s been worth every minute when you see the difference it makes.”
PATCH currently supports up to seven home visits per day – although this number can vary greatly on any given day depending on the demand, with each child receiving personalised care tailored to their condition and family needs.
“Some children only need a few days of visits, others might stay on PATCH for weeks or months,” said Nicole. “It’s completely flexible and guided by the child’s recovery.”
Nicole said it gives the families confidence and peace of mind.
“It’s reassuring for parents to know someone’s coming by to check in and make sure their child is still well enough to be at home,” she said.
Easing pressure across the hospital
PATCH isn’t just improving the experience for families; it’s also helping ease pressure across AWH’s Emergency Departments, Special Care Nursery and Children’s Ward.
By providing an alternative pathway for children who are stable but still need close monitoring, PATCH helps free up bed spaces more quickly and keeps hospital flow running smoothly.
“We were driven by watching the pressure on our ED,” said Joanna Owen, Nurse Unit Manager – Child and Family Hub. “If we can safely send a child home with PATCH instead of waiting for a bed, that frees up space for others who really need it. It makes a difference not just for one family, but for the whole system.”
Supported by community generosity
Much of PATCH’s success in its first year has been made possible through community support.
Funding from the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal has provided vital equipment such as a Bilistick for rapid bilirubin testing, bili-blankets for jaundice treatment, and infant scales, which are all crucial for safe, high-quality care at home.
Earlier in 2025, a $60,000 donation from Albury’s SS&A Club enabled AWH to purchase a dedicated PATCH car, allowing Nicole to travel safely between home visits across the region.
“The generosity of our community has been a huge part of PATCH’s success, and we’re extremely grateful,” Julie said. “Every donation helps us bring care closer to home for local families.”
Looking ahead
As PATCH moves into its second year, the team hopes to expand capacity and continue to develop new pathways.
“In just one year, PATCH has shown what’s possible when we rethink how care is delivered, and we’re only just getting started,” Julie said. “It’s changed the experience for families, improved hospital flow, and inspired what comes next for paediatric care across our region.”