The outbreak plan covers everything from a few isolated cases to a worst-case outbreak requiring 80 intensive care ventilated beds, 900 general ward beds and close to 400 emergency department presentations.

Until now, hospitals, paramedics and primary care groups have been working together but relied on their own pandemic plans.

It clarifies roles among sometimes very different health services that could need to move fast if a second wave arrives, Bendigo Health chief executive Peter Faulkner said.

"We have 18 health services in the region so it's quite a complex plan," he said.

"Understanding your specific role in a regional approach to a pandemic is vital," he said.

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The plan allows health services to treat people as close to their homes as possible but specifies that some may need to be moved if they get too sick, or if case numbers in some areas surge.

In a worst-case scenario, both of Bendigo's hospitals would become intensive care hubs, as would the Mildura Base Hospital.

Echuca and Swan Hill's hospitals would provide higher level acute medical care.

Fourteen smaller health services across the state would provide acute and community-based care for COVID-19 patients.

The plan covers outbreaks as small as one or two people, Mr Faulkner said.

"We certainly anticipate that there will be clusters, or outbreaks, in various places," he said.

Second waves have swept through other parts of the world and Australia has seen multiple clusters since the virus was largely brought under control earlier in the pandemic.

Bendigo Health would be able to treat all patients referred to it from smaller, outlying areas in the event of a low level outbreak.

"As numbers increased we would refine our contribution to the sicker patients," Mr Faulkner said.

Different health groups will be able to share staff and services for those patients in need of oncology, dialysis and maternity care, depending on their situation.

"The plan envisages how we would support one-another to continue providing services for those special-needs patients in their local area, or somewhere that is not affected," Mr Faulker said.

Hospitals could share staff to make sure those unable to fill a shift during an outbreak - or who had contracted the virus themselves - knew patients were being cared for.

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