Speech Language Therapist Amy Rosenfeld with stroke patient Ian and his wife Gaynor who was able to continue his follow up care during lockdown by telehealth.
Southern DHB Acting General Manager, Medicine, Women’s and Children’s Health, Simon Donlevy says over the past few months in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, there’s been an increase in the use of telehealth at the DHB as an essential way of continuing to deliver patient care and to minimise staff and patients exposure to the virus.
“We've received very positive feedback from staff and patients, many who have not used this technology before. This has provided us with an opportunity to look at how health care professionals across the southern district can continue to use telehealth.”
Following this success, a steering group and an interest group with over 70 representatives from across the Southern Health system has been set up to look at how to use telehealth in the best possible way in the future.
Instrumental in getting the group up and running are Endocrinologist, Professor Patrick Manning and Physiotherapist and Hand Therapist Miranda Bűhler, who both successfully used telehealth during the COVID -19 lockdown.
They say going forward there is no reason for every patient to be physically present for every appointment, and if a patient can be safely and effectively managed at a distance, then telehealth should be used.
“Telehealth doesn’t have to be used only by patients who have to travel several hours for an appointment, anyone should be able to use it. We want to make it as easy as possible even to having a consultation during someone’s lunch hour.”
The group are looking at improving access for health care professionals and patients wherever they are in the district. In the long term they want to see patients able to talk to their clinician from home, the office or a clinic nearer to home.
Do you have an appointment coming up? Ask if telehelath would be right for you.
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Better Health South - Board Update June 2020
