WDHS “virtually” closing the distance gap for Patients
May 23, 2009
Western District Health Service is giving patients greater access to specialised medical treatment and assessment through the use of technology. Functions such as video conferencing, image transfer and clinical monitoring can be used to link WDHS to major metro hospitals such as Royal Children’s Hospital and Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital. This Virtual Services technology at WDHS is being used to deliver support and advice to local medical specialists and nurses.
WDHS has several proposed virtual services in the pipeline planned for improving patient outcomes. Ophthalmology advice and support using a slit lamp linked to specialists at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear hospital will be undertaken giving the patient and local clinical staff real time access to expert advice and support. Patients will no longer have to make the 7 – 8 hour round trip to Melbourne to seek a second opinion.
The use of technology will also allow for paediatric support via video conferencing to the Royal Children’s hospital alleviating the potential need of patient transfer. Other potential services to be utilized are online digital imaging from Bendigo Radiology and peer to peer review via video conference. Recently a successful peer to peer video conference was undertaken between The Alfred Hospital Burns Unit and District Nurses at Coleraine District Health Services. A patient in the burns unit at The Alfred Hospital was being discharged to the Coleraine District Health Services Hospital in the Home program and expert advice was required for the ongoing treatment of the patient.
The use of virtual services at WDHS is highly advantageous to both patients and staff. Chief Executive Officer of WDHS Jim Fletcher stated that “The Virtual Services program will not only lessen the burden of travel and costs for patients but will also give them access to round the clock specialist support from metro facilities. The proposed virtual services will close the gap of disparity between services provided to the city and country. These virtual services will make the people of the western district community the real winners as they will be receiving access to expert medical advice whilst being in the comfort of a first class country hospital. “
Photo Caption: Susan Roundeau (left), Leanne Deutscher, Dr Aseem Sabharwal (back), Sally Kinghorn and Dr Dan Wijeratne (at the computer) work with the new technology