The next wave of telehealth innovation Extending the boundaries of specialist telehealth with emergency telemedicine My Emergency Doctor
Telehealth has truly come to the fore amidst
to MED’s emergency specialist via video to a
COVID-19, and what has accelerated is a new
remote-controllable critical care overbed camera
horizon of telemedical support in specialities.
network with relay of any available patient
For one telemedicine provider, My Emergency
information. Working alongside the doctors and
Doctor (MED), telehealth as a speciality is their
nurses on the ground to assess the patient and
core business, well prior to COVID. Since 2016,
develop a management plan, the remote emergency
they have been addressing challenges pervasive
specialist helps identify appropriate investigations
in the emergency department by extending the
and if required discuss transfer requirements.
potential of telehealth in innovative ways.
Vital lifeline to a community for critical care cases In the Critical Care Advisory Service (CCAS) of Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD),
As a result, patients can often be better stabilised on-site before being transferred if necessary. This means better outcomes for patients while decreasing the time and resources needed in medical retrieval.
rapid access to specialist support for the most
Viable means of providing regional and rural Australia access to specialists
urgent of cases across its 29 regional, rural and
Dr Justin Bowra, founder of My Emergency
remote multipurpose sites.
Doctor (MED) provided a perspective at the
emergency telemedicine is utilised in providing
When a Category 1 or 2 case presents at any of MLHD’s sites, a priority call quickly connects
recent Parliamentary Inquiry into Health Outcomes and Access to Health and Hospital Services The Health Advocate • NOVEMBER 2021
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