Royal interchange on UQ telehealth facilities

The University of Queensland’s Centre for Online Health (COH) often links patients in a remote location with doctors in Brisbane, but this week the link had a royal flavour.

The COH facilitated a video link between Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, his Australian wife Mary Donaldson and Danish teleheath researcher Jane Clemensen, who is currently visiting Australia. The link occurred at midnight on Monday at the COH’s Royal Children`s Hospital laboratories.

The Danish royals selected Ms Clemensen’s PhD project in telehealth to be a focus of their visit to the University of Aarhous. Ms Clemensen’s presence in Australia, during the royal visit was no barrier, because she is attending the COH’s telehealth conference and is able to make use of their video-link facilities.

Ms Clemensen’s research is expected to reduce the number of amputations for diabetes sufferers by using home telehealth to improve the ease and frequency of medical attention for patients suffering from ulcers.

“District nurses visit patients in their home and using the Internet link patients with doctors in hospitals for a real-time consultation. The nurse facilitates the link and assists with the consultation,” Ms Clemensen said.

“Diabetic patients suffer for poor circulation and amputations are sometimes a consequence of this, particularly is not treated early. A reduction in amputations would lessen the enormous personal and economic burden caused. This burden is felt in many countries, outside Denmark and it is expected that this research will have international applications.”

Ms Clemensen presented her work at the 4th “Successes and Failures in Telehealth Conference”, hosted by the COH. Ms Clemensen will return to Australian later in the year to work with the COH Director of Research, Professor Richard Wootton.

The COH explores a range of telehealth options to health service delivery, particularly in the area of telepaediatrics. The Centre has enabled more than 1500 patients in remote areas of Queensland to receive consultations with specialists in city hospitals.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT FACULTY COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER MARLENE MCKENDRY ON 3346 4713 OR 0401 996847