Southern Telemedicine Success

Southern Telemedicine Success

Southern DHB’s trial of telemedicine to link the ISIS rehabilitation ward at Wakari Hospital in Dunedin to the Assessment Treatment and Rehabilitation (ATR) team at Southland hospital for Southland based patients has been a great success.

Telemedicine allows the delivery of medical care and education by remote transmission of audio and video data in real or delayed time.

The telemedicine link has been in place since the beginning of the year and takes place when the Dunedin based consultant in ISIS ward takes a Southland based clinic via a video link. The link will also be used for family meetings, multi- disciplinary team meetings, and education and training.

Over the past few months Southern DHB has also been installing more video links into the outpatient clinic rooms at Lakes District Hospital, with Balclutha Hospital also installing video links. Southern DHB consultants will be able to use these for clinician to clinician telemedicine calls and also for patient appointments, and in the next few months the DHB will be trialling Dietetic appointments for Lakes patients via video link into Southland Hospital.

“Southern DHB aims to provide the right care in the right place at the right time and for a district the size of Southern and telemedicine is the way forward,” commented Southern DHB Executive Director of Patient Services, Lexie O’Shea

“This enables more patient better access to healthcare, and providing health services remotely can reduce hospitalisations and save patients travel.”

ENDS

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