The Gillard Government is investing $20.3 million in nine telehealth projects which will use the National Broadband Network (NBN) to pilot new methods of healthcare delivery.
Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, said the projects will be implemented by “some of Australia’s leading healthcare and research organisations”, reaching 2500 patients in 50 NBN communities.
Fund recipients (and amounts) include Feros Care ($2.46m), Royal District Nursing Service ($2.99m), Flinders University ($2.53m), Hunter New England Local Health District ($1.55m), UniQuest ($2.76m), integratedliving ($2.1m), Leading Age Services Australia ($1.83m), and the CSIRO ($2.75m and $1.3m).
Senator Conroy said the projects will highlight why nationwide, affordable, high-speed broadband is significant for Australia’s future.
“We now live in a world where education doesn’t stop at the school gate, healthcare doesn’t only happen in a hospital, and aged care doesn’t always mean having to go into a nursing home,” Senator Conroy said.
“With Australia’s rapidly ageing population, we face increasing challenges in providing appropriate care services to our older citizens in an affordable way. This program will demonstrate new models of aged care for older Australians living in their own homes and communities, and how telehealth can help meet these challenges.”
Full details of the grants and locations can be found on the Government’s web site.
