The Timely Emergency Care Two (TEC2) program is making Victoria’s public healthcare system safer and more efficient, so patients can access high quality, timely care. TEC2 supports targeted improvements that are designed, tested and implemented by frontline staff. No one knows hospitals better than the people who work there. They understand what is working and what could be improved.
This program takes a whole-of-hospital approach to improving how healthcare services operate. By enhancing systems and processes across the board, the program aims to:
- reduce hospital length of stay
- ease pressure on Emergency Departments,
- streamline staff workflows,
- expand access to home-based care.
The ultimate goal is to ensure all Victorians receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
The department has partnered with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). Together we are using improvement science expertise and methodology to support and test ideas. TEC2 is also guided by a local and international Clinical Faculty who are available to support participating health services.
TEC2 is composed of three streams:
- Optimising Flow to reduce delays to emergency care by improving hospital-wide flow
- Excellence in Flow to reduce older peoples’ time in hospitals to avoid lengthy or unnecessary stays
- Innovation in Flow to address complex challenges to patient flow and speed up high-impact improvements
The 23 participating health services, the IHI and the department are currently working through a cycle of testing and learning. Results from this first period will be released in 2026.
The history of TEC2
TEC2 builds off the success of the Timely Emergency Care Collaborative (TECC). The initiative was a collaboration between 14 health services, the department, IHI and Ambulance Victoria. TECC concluded in June 2024. TEC2 launched in September 2024, which included a tailored approach for Ambulance Victoria.
Reviewed 07 September 2025