Mater Private Hospital Townsville launches digital programs for regional patients
Patients in regional and rural North Queensland are now receiving world-class healthcare from the comfort of their own homes, thanks to innovative digital technology. See how it works.
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Innovative digital technology is helping regional and rural North Queensland patients access to world-class care in their own homes.
Mater Private Hospital Townsville has launched two digital programs that improve the treatment of patients needing hip and knee surgery, as well as those recovering from heart conditions or surgery.
“Mater believes every patient has the right to receive world-class healthcare whether they live in Brisbane or the bush,” Mater Townsville acting general manager Anna Olson said.
“New technology is making that aim a reality: It’s having a transformative impact by bringing expert care and support straight into the homes of patients.”
The Mater Accelerated Joint Replacement (MAJR) Program gives patients needing hip or knee replacements access to their own “digi-coach” app via a smartphone.
The app provides patients with key information before surgery and issues personalised reminders regarding exercise, rest and medication following their operations.
Orthopaedic surgeon James Price said the response from users had been “overwhelmingly positive”.
“The MAJR program is very beneficial in that it gives patient’s excellent preoperative education about the process of having a joint replacement,” he said.
“It tends to allay a lot of anxiety around surgery and allows the patient to concentrate on their recovery.”
The Cardihab program, meanwhile, allows people to receive cardiac rehabilitation services in their own homes for six weeks after undergoing heart surgery.
Mater Townsville allied health manager Gabrielle Dockray said the pilot initiative had been expanded to patients across central, western and northern Queensland thanks to $250,000 of Advance Queensland funding.
“Cardiac rehabilitation continues for six weeks after a patient is discharged, with remote sessions run twice a week with a clinician,” Ms Dockray said.
“For these sessions to be completed in the patient’s home rather than requiring them to drive to Townsville and back is a significant benefit.”
The eConsultant program also allows GPs from throughout Queensland to access advice from a range of Brisbane-based Mater specialists in areas such as neurology, infectious diseases and obstetric medicine.
An eConsult is not a formal referral, but instead a GP request for clinical advice which frequently eliminates the need for a subsequent specialist face-to-face outpatient consultation.
“Rural patients are an incredibly stoic group of people who don’t like to leave the area, but they also have quite complex medical issues,” said Dr Kasandra Kuhler, a Charleville-based GP.
“Having that direct link to specialists has really changed how quickly I can provide care to my patients.”
Mater’s Director of Obstetric Medicine Jo Laurie said she and her colleagues were excited to be part of the program.
“From a fairness and health equity point of view, eConsultant is really important to ensuring people who live in regional and rural Queensland receive specialty care,” Dr Laurie said.
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Originally published as Mater Private Hospital Townsville launches digital programs for regional patients
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