$2.2 million Tele-Health upgrade to improve services in the Bush

More Queenslanders living in rural and remote areas will have local access to better health care thanks to a $2.2 million upgrade of the Beattie Government’s tele-health network.

Health Minister Stephen Robertson said today that IT equipment would be replaced and upgraded at more than 430 sites around the State to update Queensland Health’s videoconferencing network.

“Queensland Health has the largest tele-health network in Australia,” he said.

“About 160 patients and clinicians already use the network in Queensland every day for clinical assessments, diagnostics and treatment.

“The benefits are endless and ensure that clinicians have access to the latest technology to deliver medical services online throughout the State.

“It means patients living in the bush don’t have to travel vast distances to see specialists in the cities but can be connected via video link in their own communities.”

Mr Robertson said the videoconference upgrade was expected to be fully completed by December 2007.

“The latest technology and software will be installed at sites across Queensland to greatly increase the network’s capacity,” he said.

“It will also enable general practitioners to connect to the Queensland Health network.

“Queensland is a large state covering some 1.7 million square kilometres, or about a quarter of Australia’s land mass.

“The tele-health network is about breaking down the tyranny of distance by linking city doctors with rural and regional patients.

“With the click of a button, patients can see doctors without ever having to leave their town.

“For example, a patient in Weipa needing post-surgery medical advice can visit Weipa Hospital for ‘virtual’ direct contact with a specialist in Cairns instead of travelling many hundreds of kilometres away.

“A patient in St George can visit their local hospital and - via tele-health link to Toowoomba Hospital - undergo a pre-admission anaesthetic consultation instead of enduring an eight hour return trip.”

Approximately 38,000 patients and clinicians used the Queensland Health tele-health network in 2005-06. Network improvements are expected to see usage increase to about 45,000 this year.

Mr Robertson said while tele-health was already a great benefit to Queensland patients, its use was restricted by the Federal Government’s failure to fund tele-health services through Medicare.

“The Federal Government has so far refused to allow many tele-health medical services to be covered under Medicare,” he said.

“Because doctors are seeing patients on a television screen instead of face to face, they cannot use their Medicare provider number.

“Inadequate Medicare coverage is a significant barrier to more widespread use by public and private practitioners.

“This is not good enough which is why the Beattie Government has raised the issue with Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott for his urgent attention,” he said.

MEDIA: MATTHEW JUSTUM 3225 2680