The Bendigo Health Christmas Appeal launched on Wednesday with two reindeer prancing through the hospital.

This year's appeal hopes to raise $100,000 for two pieces of equipment to better test the hearing of babies and children in the audiology department.

Bendigo Health senior audiologist Johanna Tan said the equipment would give clearer hearing test results for babies and young children.

About 90 per cent of the Loddon Mallee's audiology caseload is children.

"This first piece of equipment (we hope to get) is primarily for testing newborn hearing," Ms Tan said.

"Currently the tests are done when the baby is asleep and takes about 90 minutes. This equipment would cut the time from 90 minutes to 45 to 60 minutes and also gives clearer results.

"The second piece of equipment measures how well your ear drum is moving and does a test on the cells on your ear.

"There's a lot of modules on the equipment, so depending on how much we raise depends on how much we get on the equipment."

Bendigo Health has run the Christmas appeal since 2005.

Last year almost $100,000 was donated to the appeal which raised funds for a patient transport bus which helps almost 300 patients a month get to medical appointments.

For more information or to donate visit www.bendigohealth.org.au/christmas

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