Innovating Residential Aged Care Homes in our region with Telehealth

In the last 12 months, 72 (representing 85 per cent) of Residential Aged Care Homes (RACH) in the north Brisbane and Moreton Bay region have received a telehealth grant to upgrade their internet connectivity and digital health equipment.

The PHN worked closely with each home to assess their technical maturity and tailor a grant to increase their telehealth capacity and capability.

Villa Maria Health Care in Fortitude Valley plan to use their funding to purchase HoloLens2 – a self-contained holographic headset that allows their nurses to work “heads-up” and “hands-free.” In their trial consultations with General Practitioners, one resident liked the fact that “the doctors can see clearly, diagnose and provide a treatment plan”, while another resident was “amazed by the fact the doctor could see her legs, review the oedema (swelling) and provide diagnosis.”

Villa Maria Health Care believe telehealth will provide their residents with timely access to quality medical care, reduced hospital visits and improved health outcomes.

In the next 12 months, the University of Queensland’s Centre for Online Health will begin onsite business support with the 72 RACHs to embed telehealth practices into everyday processes and procedures and increase staff confidence with digital health and increase resident outcomes.

Hololens goggles in use at Villa Maria.