Telehealth saves Coen resident trips to Cairns

Telehealth outpatient consultations have nearly doubled in the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service in the past two years and are making life easier for many remote area residents like former police tracker Barry Port.

Health and Ambulance Services Minister Cameron Dick, who visited Mr Port’s home town of Coen this week, said the number of consultations in the health service had increased from 693 in 2014–15 to 1297 in 2015–16.

So far this financial year, in the eight months to the end of February, a total of 799 telehealth consultations already have been delivered or supported.

“This is an exceptional rate of increase and shows how comfortable and confident health service patients and clients are becoming in the technology, benefits and convenience of telehealth,’’ Mr Dick said.

“What it means for people like Mr Port is that they can have routine consultations with his specialists right here in Coen without having to travel all the way to Cairns for his appointments.

“Telehealth is delivering convenience and is saving thousands of Queenslanders like Mr Port a lot of time, effort and money each year.’’

Mr Port, 74, who formally retired as Queensland’s last Aboriginal police tracker in mid-2014, had his first telehealth consultation with specialists at Cairns Hospital in June 2015 and has continued using the telehealth service since.

“I have regular consultations with the doctors by video-conference about every three months here in Coen,’’ Mr Port said.

“It’s very easy talking to them through the TV and we always have a good chat.

“If it wasn’t for the video-conference, I would have to go to Cairns to see the doctor.

“I live very close to the health centre here in Coen, so it’s very easy for me to come here and have my appointment and then go back home.’’

Mr Dick said patient-dedicated telehealth services were available at every health facility in the Torres and Cape.

Telehealth uses high definition cameras to link medical specialists and other clinicians with patients in real-time appointments through video-conferencing.

“Through video-conferencing, telehealth allows you to receive the same quality of care closer to home, reduces time away from home and makes it easier for family or friends to attend appointments with you,’’ Mr Dick said.

He said all consultations are private and secure, and patients did not have to worry about operating the telehealth equipment.

Mr Dick said a telehealth pharmacy service introduced in the Torres and Cape HHS in early 2016 had been so successful it had been a finalist in the Queensland Health 2016 Awards for Excellence.

“And from around mid-year, the health service also will start introducing a dental telehealth project in the Torres Strait region,’’ he said.

“The Torres and Cape HHS has received $1.46 million over two years for this project through the Palaszczuk Government’s $35 million Integrated Care Innovation Fund, which is supporting 22 innovative projects around the state, including this one in the Torres Strait.

“The funding will allow for island health workers to be trained to help deliver this tele-dentistry project.’’

Mr Dick said telehealth technology continued to develop, with the Torres and Cape HHS trialling the use of iPads for telehealth services.

ENDS

Media contact:

Michelle Wellington    0437 323 834