What We Do

Health-e-Screen success

Tuesday, 10 May 2011 14:56

The Centre for Online Health at the Royal Children’s Hospital has recently completed a three-year project aimed at improving access to health care for kids in remote areas.

The Health-e-Screen4Kids project used a specially equipped van which operated as a mobile health clinic, visiting communities in the Cherbourg area, around 350km northwest of Brisbane.

 

 



Although many health screening projects have been attempted in Indigenous communities, often children live so remotely that they are unable to get to established clinics. By taking the clinic to them, the research team was able to screen 84% of children within the Cherbourg community.

Health workers collected patient information and digital images of children’s eyes and ears, as well as clinical history, health assessments and health risk questionnaires. This information was stored on a computer and transmitted via a website to a secure database in Brisbane, where a team of specialists could view images and data, make diagnoses and recommend treatment, all without the kids having to leave their local community!

Although further research is required to evaluate the long-term impact of Health-e-Screen on Indigenous children’s health, the findings indicate that the telehealth service is both cost-effective and beneficial.

The Health-e-Screen4Kids program will continue to operate with funding from Queensland Health from 2011 onwards. The results of the project are likely to have benefit across Queensland, and have potential for use across Australia and overseas.

promo

Meet Jack

To see Jack playing with his younger brother Luke, you’d never imagine he has a chronic, life-threatening disease.

Read more