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Telehealth service supports local nurses to save Perth pre-schooler after Coral Bay snakebite 09 July 2018 Pre-schooler Emilia Barnard is with us today thanks only to the combined efforts of a team of about a dozen medical professionals – including three on a video screen. After the four-year-old was bitten by a snake in Coral Bay on WA Day, two nurses at the local nursing post were supported by a team including a doctor and two nurses from the Emergency Telehealth Service (ETS) in Perth, three local volunteer ambulance workers, an RFDS doctor and nurse, Poisons Information Service doctor and even the little girl’s parents. Following Telehealth Awareness Week June 25-29, the case brings to light the expert and sometimes life-saving care families are receiving in rural and remote parts of WA thanks to the support of telehealth services such as the ETS. One of the two Coral Bay nurses, Caroline Cordy-Hedge, said as a country nurse she couldn’t praise the ETS enough for providi... -
Dongara Health Centre redevelopment moves forward 29 June 2018 Extensive consultation has taken place with key internal stakeholders from the Dongara Health Centre and the wider Midwest region, as plans for the redevelopment of the health centre are formalised. Midwest Regional Director, Jeffrey Calver, said the project had reached functional brief stage. “A functional brief typically outlines design requirements including an itemised list of the function, number and size of rooms required,” Mr Calver said. “It is a document provided to an architect to give an over-arching guide to commencing the drawing process.” The user group, who were consulted as part of developing the functional brief, included both clinical and operational staff such as nurses, maintenance staff and management. “All staff that will be impacted by the redevelopment were invited to provide their input during the consultation period, providing valua... -
Health service redevelopments complete 29 June 2018 Representing the Minister for Health, Agricultural Region MLC Laurie Graham has today opened the Bruce Rock and Narembeen memorial health services which have undergone redevelopments. The redevelopments are part of a $300 million capital works program that is improving infrastructure in 37 towns across the Wheatbelt, Great Southern, Mid-West and South-West regions. In the Wheatbelt, the program includes the redevelopment of Merredin, Narrogin and Northam hospitals, as well as upgrades to 23 small hospitals and health centres. To read the full statement,visit the Ministerial website. -
Baby Ava still bouncing thanks to telehealth doctor, local nurses and RFDS 25 June 2018 You wouldn’t know it to look at bubbly bub Ava Fuge now, but two months ago her life hung in the balance – probably only saved through a combination of care from local nurses, “the telly doctor” and Royal Flying Doctor Service. Suffering from a seizure one evening in April, her parents raced the 17-month-old to their local hospital at Pemberton. Despite no doctor being rostered on at that hour, the nurses in charge were able to dial up the Emergency Telehealth Service (ETS) based 300km kilometres away in Perth and call on the back-up of emergency specialist doctor Mlungisi “Lungi” Mahlangu. Dr Mahlangu used the ETS camera in the hospital’s ED suite to zoom in on little Ava to confirm the nurses’ assessment, and then get extra details by speaking to them over the videoconference. He then guided the nurses through a course of treatment to sta... -
Country life not interrupted for specialist's appointment 25 June 2018 Life in quiet Mingenew is lovely for Wayne Kipps. However, Mr Kipps has a sustained brain injury which has resulted in frequent epileptic seizures, and so he has had to often leave town to see his neurologist, 300kms away in Perth. But these days Mr Kipps only has to travel to near-by Three Springs Hospital to speak to his doctor via videoconference. The week has been organised by the WA Country Health Service to highlight that healthcare appointments delivered by telehealth are now widely available to country patients, without the stress and cost of travel. As well as the cost of travel, Mr Kipps said that stress was another issue caused by having to travel for medical appointments. Mr Kipp’s wife Shiralee always attends the appointments – partly because her knowledge of his symptoms is vital in Dr Lawn’s assessments, and partly because she needs to drive her husband. ...
Last Updated:
24/01/2024