Broadband
project for the aging in Victoria
Paul
Gerard Budde
A new project announced by the Victorian Government will revolutionise access to healthcare in Western Victoria. The project is one of 12 projects to receive funding of $4 million through the Victorian Government’s Broadband-Enabled Innovation Program (BEIP).
The new tele-health project will provide patients in need of specialist medical assistance in areas like dentistry, wound management or oncology services access to high-definition, three-dimensional imaging via broadband. It means patients will have access to diagnosis without having to travel to major centres to access specialist healthcare.
The University of Ballarat will lead the project in partnership with the Institute for a Broadband-Enabled Society, Grampians Rural Health Alliance, Victorian eResearch Strategic Initiative and hospitals and nursing services in Ballarat, Horsham, Nhill and Melbourne.
The tele-health project will develop the Central Highlands and Wimmera regions’ ability to capitalise on broadband infrastructure in advance of the National Broadband Network rollout.
The BEIP supports collaborative projects in developing new ways of working and improving service delivery in business, government and the community through the use of high-capacity broadband.
Some of the successful projects of the BEIP include:
University of Ballarat is developing high-definition, three-dimensional healthcare imaging to allow patients in remote areas to get easy access to specialist care. They are also using new technologies to visualise Victoria’s groundwater systems, contributing to the sustainable management of groundwater resources;
Royal District Nursing Service Limited are developing a high-speed broadband application which allows for remote monitoring of medication intake of elderly patients living independently;
Moreland City Council is developing interactive game technology to assist elderly people to remain active in their home;
Uniting Care, Moreland Hall is implementing remote video conferencing for alcohol and other drug treatment assessments and related activities;
University of Melbourne is using internet-protocolTV to deliver education to students and clinicians;
Alfred Health is developing online simulation-based clinical decision-making training;
Melbourne Health is linking primary and specialist care through an immigrant clinical hub.
Paul Budde