East Gippsland residents will soon have greater access to specialist healthcare, with Epworth HealthCare establishing a regional presence at The Centre in Bairnsdale.
This partnership bridges the gap between metropolitan healthcare services
and regional patient needs, reducing the burden of travel and improving access to specialist consultations.
The community will have referral access to specialist Epworth doctors who will utilise The Centre’s modern consulting suites to provide in-person appointments, complemented by telehealth consultations for follow-up care and ongoing support.
The specialist services offered at The Centre will continue to expand in response to community needs, ensuring local patients have access to care traditionally available only in Melbourne’s major hospitals.
The partnership responds to a growing demand for greater healthcare assistance to support East Gippsland’s population; particularly families, elderly residents and those living rurally, often facing long travel times to access specialist medical care.
“This collaboration brings a greater level
of specialist expertise directly to our community,” The Centre owner, Carolyn Donchi, said.
“For many residents, travelling to Melbourne for a specialist appointment can be stressful, costly and time-consuming. By basing Epworth specialists here in Bairnsdale, we can remove that barrier and give people access to the care they need, closer to home.”
Epworth is Victoria’s largest not-for-profit private hospital group, renowned for its innovation and excellence in diagnosis, treatment, care and rehabilitation.
“By establishing consulting suites at The Centre, we can bring more Epworth doctors to Bairnsdale and provide East Gippsland communities with local access to many specialist services that aren’t currently available in the region,” Ashley Wheeler, Epworth Eastern executive general manager, said.
“Our focus is always on the patients we care for, and we are proud to be broadening access to specialist care for people in East Gippsland. This initiative will help ensure more people can receive expert support closer to home.”
The Centre, located at 5 Radford Place, Bairnsdale, is a purpose-built health and wellness facility offering modern consulting suites, flexible clinical spaces and a collaborative environment for medical and allied health professionals. The partnership further strengthens The Centre’s role as a growing healthcare hub for East Gippsland.
“This is a vital step forward in improving healthcare access for our region,”
Carolyn said.
“Epworth brings an outstanding reputation for clinical excellence, and having their specialists practicing from The Centre will provide enormous benefits to our local community and surrounding regions.”
This initiative is designed as an ongoing, scalable model for specialist care in regional Victoria. With flexible consulting suite availability, telehealth support, and the ability to onboard additional specialties over time, the partnership has strong potential for long-term growth and expansion.
