Telehealth and virtual services, where clinically appropriate, should be a regular part of service delivery for all Western Australians, not just patients from rural and remote areas.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that innovation can be achieved both rapidly and effectively.
The Sustainable Health Review prioritised a progressive shift for metropolitan health services to provide telehealth consultations for 65 per cent of outpatient services for country patients by July 2022, and for telehealth to be a regular mode of service delivery for all outpatients by July 2029.
WA Health needs to start using telehealth wherever a high standard of patient care can be maintained. There should be widespread use for all patients to eliminate barriers in access to healthcare, including WA’s unique geographic distances, and to provide comprehensive specialist services to Western Australians in rural and remote areas.
Reduced need for capital expenditure and associated running costs, better access to specialist services for rural and remote areas, and an in-place system to fall back on during disease outbreaks.
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