Remote Health Technology Helps Pregnant Women in Rural Areas

ABC Goulburn Murray

Topic: Health Administration

Stefania Panella uses remote patient technology to manage her gestational diabetes.

In short:

A regional Victorian health service uses new remote patient monitoring technology.

The technology eliminates appointments and paperwork for women.

What's next?

Many regional health services wait for funding to digitise from paper-based records.

Stefania Panella is excited to welcome her first baby after dealing with gestational diabetes.

Living in regional Victoria made constant monitoring of glucose levels challenging.

Goulburn Valley Health's remote patient monitoring technology helped Stefania.

Stefania logs her blood glucose levels remotely.

Stefania felt reassured after connecting with her care team.

The technology saves rural women from travelling hours for short appointments.

Nurse Tara Jones monitors gestational diabetes patients remotely.

Patient monitoring is easier for health teams with the technology.

The data is current, and it has reduced the number of programs used.

Turning a digital leaf

Hume Rural Health Alliance oversees information systems for 16 health services.

The alliance introduced a virtual patient monitoring system.

Neelu Kaur is the chief information officer of the Hume Rural Health Alliance.

Remote patient monitoring tools free up hospital beds.

We need to start expanding into virtual, connected care.

Australian health tech company Alcidion said the digital shift is gaining momentum.

Kate Quirke says digital technology improves patient flow.

Laying foundations for regional health care organisations to take advantage of clinical efficiencies.

The remote patient monitoring technology is used in the UK and New Zealand.

Many regional Victorian hospitals still rely on paper records.

Electronic medical records

The Victorian government released a digital health strategy in 2021.

Despite Hume's success in virtual care, health services wait for electronic medical records.

The state budgeted $21.4 million for electronic medical records in 2024.

The government supports the Hume Rural Health Alliance to prepare for electronic medical records.