EHEALTH TALK: VIEW Club Narooma president Helen Kent with Calvary eHealth ambassador Pat Douglass and VIEW Club Narooma event coordinator Narelle Loftus.
CALVARY Health Care eHealth ambassador Pat Douglass of Canberra visited Narooma and Moruya last week to talk with Far South Coast residents about the benefits of registering for a free eHealth record, as part of an Australian Government initiative.
She spoke at local VIEW and Probus clubs in Narooma and Moruya.
A spritely 81 years old, Mrs Douglass told more than 250 people that after a fall near her home she was diagnosed with a brain injury and admitted to hospital for 10 weeks, but medical professionals did not expect her to live.
But she survived and now is selling the benefits of an eHealth record.
Up until now every doctor, clinic or hospital you have visited has maintained a separate record of your health.
Now, with your consent, an eHealth record can be created to supplement these files by linking key information about you.
This means that no matter where you are in Australia – or which doctor you visit – a summary of your healthcare information will be available to assist in your diagnosis and treatment.
The new eHealth record system is a landmark $465 million healthcare revolution by the Australian Government to streamline and enhance patient care.
Mrs Douglass was one of the first patients in Australia to register for a free eHealth record, and will therefore be one of the first to benefit.
It’s important to remember your eHealth record will grow with you and initially will contain only a small amount of information but will not contain any clinical data.
There are three ways to register for a free eHealth record including at www.calvaryehealth.com.au or in person at Medicare Australia or by calling the eHealth record Helpline on 1800 723 471.
Meanwhile, NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner last week met the ACT Chief Minister, Katy Gallagher, at Hume to see firsthand how telehealth technology will link Canberra Hospital clinicians to their counterparts in four Southern NSW hospitals.
Minister Skinner said the Improving Critical Care Outreach and Training in the ACT and South East NSW project is being developed collaboratively by the Southern NSW Local Health District, the NSW Ministry of Health and the ACT Health Directorate.
This system will connect Canberra Hospital emergency department and helicopter base with hospitals at Queanbeyan, Moruya, Batemans Bay and Cooma.
Mrs Skinner said telehealth initiatives have become a key component of clinical care and improving access to services in NSW.
“We currently have more than 600 videoconferencing locations across the state which are used for a range of services in the areas of mental health; critical and emergency care; oncology; radiology; diabetic foot care; genetic services; and, chronic disease management,” she said.
Member for Bega Andrew Constance said the installation of telehealth technology has the potential to greatly improve treatment outcomes for local patients and save lives.