Dr LIM - 1995-10-17
What progress has been made towards establishing telemedicine and teleradiology links between the Territory and interstate hospitals?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, this is another big plus for the Territory's Department of Health Services, which is leading the way again in many respects. The first telemedicine project involves a multidisciplinary team of oncology specialists at Royal Adelaide Hospital and oncology patients at Royal Darwin Hospital. Cancer patients will be amongst the first to benefit from this state-of-the-art technology. Later, mental health, head injury and spinal injury patients will receive enhanced health care also. Besides being state of the art and bringing to Territorians the benefits of modern technology in medical and health services, the project will also save the Territory government money. It is anticipated that the first project could save up to $140 000 per year.
The second project is teleradiology. That will link Katherine Hospital, Darwin Private Hospital and 2 South Australian hospitals. The other day, I was pleased to visit Gove District Hospital for its health fair. The Gove District Hospital, and possibly also the Borroloola community, will be the first centre to benefit from that teleradiology project.
The telemedicine facilities will complement the new medical clinical school proposed at Royal Darwin Hospital. By providing permanent telemedicine facilities here, even less people will have to leave the support of their family and friends in the Territory to receive specialist services interstate. This is another advance in medical science. It is an application that is most appropriate to the remote areas of Northern Territory. Down the track, it will be of enormous benefit to Territorians.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, this is another big plus for the Territory's Department of Health Services, which is leading the way again in many respects. The first telemedicine project involves a multidisciplinary team of oncology specialists at Royal Adelaide Hospital and oncology patients at Royal Darwin Hospital. Cancer patients will be amongst the first to benefit from this state-of-the-art technology. Later, mental health, head injury and spinal injury patients will receive enhanced health care also. Besides being state of the art and bringing to Territorians the benefits of modern technology in medical and health services, the project will also save the Territory government money. It is anticipated that the first project could save up to $140 000 per year.
The second project is teleradiology. That will link Katherine Hospital, Darwin Private Hospital and 2 South Australian hospitals. The other day, I was pleased to visit Gove District Hospital for its health fair. The Gove District Hospital, and possibly also the Borroloola community, will be the first centre to benefit from that teleradiology project.
The telemedicine facilities will complement the new medical clinical school proposed at Royal Darwin Hospital. By providing permanent telemedicine facilities here, even less people will have to leave the support of their family and friends in the Territory to receive specialist services interstate. This is another advance in medical science. It is an application that is most appropriate to the remote areas of Northern Territory. Down the track, it will be of enormous benefit to Territorians.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016