Aboriginal Health Videophone Network

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Aboriginal HealthVideophone Network

• Dr Tori Wade
• Medical Director VidCo
• GP Advisor Adelaide Western General Practice
  Network
• July 2008

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A New Form of Video Communication

• The personal videophone
• Compact desktop technology
• High definition screen
• Easy to transport
• Operates over broadband connections
• World wide point-to-point
• Easy to use works like a normal telephone

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Videophone Development

• 3 year developmental period
• 50 Videophone test network, initially undertaken
  through the SA Divisions of General Practice
  Network, now by VidCo
• Trial with Royal District Nursing Service, since
  converted to an ongoing service
• Today, 150 videophone network world wide, with 70
  videophones in SA
• Aboriginal Health installations funded by the
  Variety Club

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Uses of the Videophones

• Health Care Uses emergency medicine, specialist
  opinion, post-hospital review, mental health
  assessment and treatment, home care
• Educational Uses staff training, mentoring and
  supervision
• Organisational Uses executive communication, IT
  network communication
• Community Uses communicating with family members
  in hospital, or visiting regional centres

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Health Care Uses

• Emergency medicine retrieval team at the RAH,
  RFDS, SAAS
• Specialist opinion Adelaide Plastic Surgery
  Associates
• Post-hospital review WCH burns unit
• Mental health Eyre Peninsula, RRMHS
• Home care Royal District Nursing Service
  medication management, aged care facilities

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Telemedicine background

• Much enthusiasm and many trials over the past 15
  years
• However little widespread or high volume uptake
• Limiting factors have been high costs, technical
  problems, and lack of assistance with new ways of
  working
• South Australia a world leader in
  videoconferencing for telepsychiatry

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Current Installations in Health

• 8 Aboriginal Health Services
• Royal District Nursing Service of SA
• Adelaide Plastic Surgery Associates (APSA)
• Womens and Childrens Hospital
• General Practices and Aged Care Facilities
• Integrated Cardiovascular Clinical Network
  (ICCnet)
• Private hospital Emergency Departments
• Aged Care (New Jersey, US)

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Future installations in health

• Mental health service delivery to rural areas
  Eyre Peninsula Division, RRMHS
• Neurology network for treatment of acute stroke
• SA Ambulance communication centre installation
• Royal Flying Doctor Service on-call
• Rural paediatric nephrology network

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Paediatric registrar program

• New paediatric registrar position in 2009
• Based at Pt Augusta Hospital
• To work in both rural and remote communities, and
  doing followup using the videophone network
• Research on the effectiveness of the videophone
  service will be carried out
• Dr Tori Wade commencing a PhD at Adelaide
  University will assist with the research

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Clinical factors for videophone uptake

• Build on existing communication and collaboration
  between doctors, other health care workers and
  organisations
• Compatible goals for improved patient care
• Increased efficiency and productivity of health
  care
• Leadership support by managers and health care
  workers

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Business factors for videophone uptake

• Cost effectiveness of equipment purchase and
  Video Exchange access
• Internal business case
• saving travel costs
• increased staff capability due to saving travel
  time
• Cost offsets VOIP access producing savings on
  STD and International telecommunications

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Technical Outline

• The videophones run on a broadband connection no
  need for ISDN lines
• Each videophone has three lines, connected to
  three independent exchanges
• For Dept of Health facilities, we recommend
  installing a separate broadband connection
• High levels of security and privacy can be
  achieved using a security router

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Practical videophone installation

• Must have a fast broadband connection in an
  office setting at least 512K up and down is
  recommended can be re-set for lower speeds
• Videophones can be configured to work on a
  satellite connection in remote areas
• Should be plug and play will connect to the
  videophone exchange automatically if any
  problems the Helpdesk will talk you through
• Videocalls, STD and International calls, and
  Helpdesk Service included in the monthly fee
• Minimum time for service three months in advance

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Questions for future development

• Mental Health Services development
• Paediatric Registrar program
• Womens and Childrens hospital
• Royal Flying Doctor service
• Specialist medical opinions
• Educational uses
• Inter-agency video networking
• Other uses?