Dozens of healthcare professionals from across the state gathered in Bundaberg recently for the Telehealth Coordinator Forum, hosted by Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service in collaboration with the Telehealth Support Unit.
The attendees engaged in discussions and activities centred around the challenges and opportunities in rural healthcare, with a particular focus on virtual care and telehealth.
The forum was held on 14 November 2023, and included a visit to Gin Gin, where participants explored the hospital and township followed by presentations and a panel discussion to shed light on the nuances of rural healthcare provision.
The agenda aimed to highlight and discuss the differences between metro and regional living and healthcare.
WBHHS Chief Executive Debbie Carroll said she was delighted about the opportunity to host professionals from across the State.
“A highlight of the conference was when attendees had the chance to hear from staff, community and consumers about the wonderful work that happens in rural, regional and remote communities to improve the delivery of virtual care.”
“Many elements of rural health care like the multidisciplinary team nature of rural facilities might not be apparent to staff from metro areas so this is a wonderful learning opportunity.
“The VR demo from Eidsvold was also a hit, hearing about how patient-centred and innovative they were with low-cost positive outcomes.”
Like many other rural areas, WBHHS face unique healthcare challenges, geographical barriers, limited Specialist availability, an aging population and workforce shortages.
By strengthening our Telehealth network, we are poised to continue addressing our known challenges and help transform healthcare delivery in Wide Bay.