RBWH LINKS WITH RURAL PATIENTS IN THEIR OWN TOWN

19 February, 2008

Pregnant women with diabetes from rural and remote Queensland can now get specialist treatment in their own town, Health Minister Stephen Robertson said today.

The Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital is currently trialling a weekly Telemed Diabetes in Pregnancy Clinic where a consultant endocrinologist treats patients in rural and regional areas via video link-up.

“The Telemed Clinic was established in November 2007 as part of the two year Diabetes in Pregnancy Innovation Project, due to finish in March 2009,” Mr Robertson said.

“The Telemed Clinic also forms part of the Queensland Health run telehealth network – which is currently rolling out new video-conferencing technology for health initiatives throughout the State.”

Mr Robertson said more than 40,000 women give birth in Queensland public hospitals each year and about one in 16 of these have pre-existing diabetes or gestational diabetes - a condition that develops during pregnancy but resolves itself after delivery.

“This telehealth service will enable pregnant women with diabetes living throughout Central Queensland to consult with specialists in Brisbane, as well as with their local diabetes educator and health care workers at their local hospital or health service,” Mr Robertson said.

“Previously many of these women may have travelled hundreds of kilometres to their nearest regional hospital with appropriate facilities and resources.

“This service is saving these women a trip at least once a month, which when heavily pregnant, is particularly beneficial to the health of both mother and baby,” Mr Robertson said.

Amanda Wenck, of Gayndah 150 km south-west of Bundaberg, is 23 weeks pregnant with her second child and has been having video-link conferences with her doctor in Brisbane regularly since November. Amanda was the first to sign up to the pilot project.

“The service is wonderful as I can go to my local hospital in Gayndah for the appointments,” Ms Wenck said.

“Having regular contact with a specialist has made me feel more confident in the management of my diabetes during pregnancy, particularly as energy and insulin requirements fluctuate significantly during pregnancy.

“I am very thankful I don’t have to travel 350km to Brisbane and I would recommend this excellent service to any expectant mother with diabetes living in rural and remote areas,” she said.

Mr Robertson said approximately 4,800 patient consultations were provided via the telehealth network in 430 telehealth sites across the state in 2006-07.

“There are now 480 telehealth sites across Queensland and the provision of patient consultations is expected to continue to increase in the coming years as more sites are joined to the network,” Mr Robertson said.

“Patients and clinicians are linked by the telehealth network every day for clinical assessments, diagnostics and treatment.

“The benefits of the network for both clinicians and patients are endless, and medical services can increasingly be delivered throughout the State without distance constraining the ability of a patient to receive the best care possible.

“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 telehealth link to Toowoomba Hospital, undergo a pre-admission anaesthetic consultation instead of enduring an eight hour return trip,” Mr Robertson said.

Currently there are a range of initiatives funded through Telehealth service including:

Diabetes consults - Cairns to Torres Strait Islands
ENT - Cairns to Cooktown and Weipa
Ophthalmology (retinal screening) - RBWH to Longreach
Emergency Retrieval - Townsville to Palm Island (this is expanding to 10 other sites)
Pre-admission clinics - Hervey Bay to Monto, Rockhampton to Gladstone, Toowoomba to 18 regional Darling Downs towns
Paediatrics - Royal Children's Hospital to Mackay and Mt Isa
Intensive Care - Townsville to Mt Isa
Psychiatry - Toowoomba (to Darling Downs towns), Nambour (to Kilcoy), Rockhampton (to Biloela), Cairns (to Cooktown), Townsville (to Mt Isa).

The RBWH clinic welcomes all referrals concerning pre-pregnancy counselling for women with established diabetes, and medical management of diabetes during pregnancy, delivery and post partum.

MEDIA: AMANDA FROUDE 3225 2680