Funding boost for UQ telemedicine service for sick children

Sick children in regional Queensland can continue to access specialist doctors thanks to continued funding of a successful service that links doctors and patients via digital lines and the Internet.

The University of Queensland’s Centre for Online Health (COH) has operated the Telepaediatric Service to regional centres since 2000, facilitating nearly 3,000 consultations for patients and their local doctors. In many cases the virtual consultations have avoided unnecessary trips to Brisbane while some link-ups have saved young lives.

Queensland Health Minister Stephen Robertson last week announced the state Government would step in and plug a funding gap, due to occur when Federal Government funding for the program was scaled back this financial year. Queensland Health will receive an additional $280,000 in 2005-06 and for each of the following two years to continue the Telepaediatric Service.

The Service, a partnership between the University and the Royal Children’s Hospital, links Brisbane specialists with 52 regional sites, including Mackay, Hervey Bay, Rockhampton, Emerald and Gladstone. Around 150 medical, nursing and allied health workers and their patients are linked with Brisbane paediatricians, covering 35 different sub specialities, including diabetes, endocrinology, burns, cardiology, dermatology, oncology, orthopaedics, gastroenterology, neurology and paediatric surgery.

Director of the Centre for Online Health, Professor Richard Wootton, said that analysis of the service showed there were significant financial and social benefits.

“The Service enables specialists to assess patients and advise whether travel to Brisbane for further consultation is needed. In some cases, specialists advise local doctors that the trip is unnecessary, avoiding the costs of travel and family disruption, as well as stress on the patient,” Professor Wootton said.

“The Service also plays a role in supporting doctors in regional centres. They are able to have closer links with specialists,which means access to professional advice and development. This could assist with recruitment and retention of doctors in regional areas,” Professor Wootton said.

“In the face of a growing national shortage of medical staff and specialists, the State Government needs to find better and more innovative ways to deliver health care.

"Through the service, we can put a doctor in rural and remote Queensland in touch with a specialist in Brisbane who immediately, can assess a sick child on-line and in real time,” Mr Robertson said.