NBN to bring telehealth trials to regional NSW in early 2011

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Wednesday, 1 December 2010 12:32pm

The Minister for Broadband, Communications, and the Digital Economy, Stephen Conroy, has announced that when the National Broadband Network is rolled out in Kiama and Armidale early next year, the Commonwealth will fund trials of telehealth services in those areas.

Given the high speeds the NBN will provide, telehealth services may be a real possibility in Australia in the near future. Telehealth services proposed for the trials include:

  • Home tele-monitoring to monitor patient health and wellbeing indicators such as blood pressure, glucose levels and lung function, and to issue alerts where required to local health professionals
  • Home video-consultation to allow patients to communicate with relevant health providers through high quality video and
  • Healthy living support to provide information, coaching and relevant social networking opportunities to promote healthier lifestyles.

Whilst there is no mention in these trials of telehealth services being used for the provision of assistive care at this stage, a previous UK study by Ofcom, the British communications regulator, has indicated that this is a definite possibility.


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