HEALTH MINISTER LAUNCHES NEW TELEHEALTH SERVICE IN BOOST FOR STATEWIDE EMERGENCY CARE

REVISED

Health Minister Stephen Robertson launched a new and expanded Telehealth service at Cairns Base Hospital today in a boost for emergency care across Queensland.

Mr Robertson said the videoconferencing technology was improving vital care for emergency patients in regional, rural and remote parts of the State.

“This new service allows emergency specialists in Townsville and Brisbane to access patients in rural and remote hospitals, including here in Cairns,” he said.

“It’s a vital tool which will help health workers to deliver patients improved emergency care.

“It means patients will effectively have immediate access to a service of equivalent quality to that provided in tertiary hospitals.”

Mr Robertson said emergency departments in 29 regional, rural and remote hospitals had been fitted with specifically designed videoconferencing equipment.

“Another 13 hospitals in Queensland will be fitted with the equipment by June next year,” he said.

“It allows specialists in Brisbane and Townsville to view and move cameras above and beside the patient’s bed, with a ceiling microphone ensuring staff at the remote sites can ask questions and comment on the patient’s condition.”

Mr Robertson said the new Telehealth service, managed by the Queensland Emergency Medical System Coordination Centre (QCC), was specifically designed to improve emergency retrieval of seriously sick and injured patients.

Dr Mark Elcock, Director of the Statewide Clinical Coordination and Retrieval Service, said the system would deliver better outcomes for emergency patients.

“We wanted a system that was easy to use, and that didn’t take anyone away from the job of caring for the patient,” he said.

“This system is ideal for that – we can move the cameras and zoom in on areas of interest, as well as being able to see X-rays.”

Mr Robertson said Queensland Health spent $2.1 million a year on one of the biggest managed Telehealth networks in the world, with over 550 sites.

“This technology is not just being used to access seriously sick and injured patients but also for everyday consultations between regional, rural and remote patients and specialists at tertiary hospitals,” he said.

“This year, Telehealth services have delivered over 14,000 occasions of patient care.”

Mr Robertson said the expansion of Telehealth services to 12 new North Queensland sites had been partly funded through the Federal Government’s Clever Networks Program.

Rural Hospitals in Northern Queensland connected with Townsville QCC

Rural Hospitals in southern and central Queensland connected with Spring Hill QCC

MEDIA: Kate Van Poelgeest 0458 449 267