Celebrating life changing support of telehealth

To mark Telehealth Awareness Week (24 - 28 October),WA Country Health Service (WACHS) is highlighting the many different ways digital technology is improving the health and wellbeing of country communities.

Through the 24/7 Command Centre, WACHS supports frontline staff with around-the-clock access to dedicated clinical experts, helping deliver care to patients at the click of a button.

Since the first consult linked a patient in York via videoconference in 2012, telehealth has been embraced for its ability to bring a wide range of healthcare specialties to even the most remote parts of WA.

Growth in demand and improvements in technology have seen access to telehealth grow from a weekend-only emergency support service to the 24/7 Command Centre, providing critical care from the beginning to end of life.

WACHS now connects more than 86 sites across country WA to experts in a range of specialty areas, allowing care closer to home and reducing the need for travel.

By embracing advances in technology, WACHS is better able to support the extraordinary frontline staff in country communities.

Whether it’s for rehabilitation, emergency care, birthing or palliative care, telehealth has ensured staff and patients across the State feel supported no matter the situation and in turn has reduced the number of patient transfers.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of telehealth technologies to connect patients and staff to specialists became an invaluable tool to reduce the spread of the virus.

To mark the national week, remarkable telehealth stories will be shared on the WACHS Facebook page.

To learn more about telehealth and how it can support your healthcare journey visit the Healthy WA Telehealth page.