A new $20.6 million telehealth program utilising the National Broadband Network (NBN) will provide new and innovative in-home telehealth services to older Australians, people living with cancer and those requiring palliative care.
The program will provide to eligible participants in NBN early rollout areas a range of services which will include having health indicators monitored remotely. Doctors will be able to take the patients blood pressure online while they are at home. The patient will also be able to receive medical consultations and health living support in the home.
The speed, ubiquity and bandwidth of the NBN will enhance the reliability of these services, ultimately transforming the way health care is delivered around Australia.
The existing telehealth program is already proving popular with Australian patients and doctors, making it easier for people to receive care and advice via videoconferencing when and where they need it. Since the government has introduced Medicare rebates for telehealth consultations, uptake has grown with more than 7,000 services provided by over 1,200 clinicians around Australia, mostly to rural and remote areas,
Telehealth is a cost effective, real-time and convenient alternative to the more traditional face-to-face way of providing medical care and advice. It removes many of the barriers, such as distance, time and cost, which prevent patients from accessing timely and appropriate healthcare services.
Over time, the NBN will provide an enhanced nationwide platform that allows homes, doctor surgeries, pharmacies, clinics, aged-care facilities and allied health professionals to connect to affordable, reliable, high-speed and high-capacity broadband.
By expanding telehealth services to older Australians still living in their own homes will help health professionals identify potential health problems earlier, reduce the need for older Australians to travel to receive treatment and increase access to healthcare services and specialists.
Paul Budde Communication Pty Ltd
5385 George Downes Drive
Bucketty NSW 2250, Australia
Tel 02 4998 8144, Fax 02 4998 8247
email: paul@budde.com.au
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