Victoria To Invest $4 Million For Rural Health Services
Every small rural health service across Victoria will be able to access medical specialists based in larger hospitals, giving families the care they need closer to home under a future Brumby Labor Government.
The Premier, John Brumby, today announced a $4 million commitment that would support 44 rural health services to buy video conferencing and telemedicine technology, providing direct access to the State’s top specialists.
“To rise to the challenge of 1000 Victorians turning 65 every week, our Government has employed nearly 11,000 new nurses and we are building hospitals across the State,” Mr Brumby said.
“While our Government has provided record support and investment into health services across the State, there are times those in smaller rural areas won’t have the access to specialist care that larger centres offer.
“That’s why we will provide each rural health service with a $90,909 grant to buy the technology and equipment they need to link with medical specialists at larger hospitals
“This equipment will allow clinicians in small rural health services and their patients to link with medical specialists at larger hospitals to get expert advice and guidance without travelling.
“For example, a person could have images of their eyes transmitted via the internet to a specialist at the Eye and Ear Hospital who would then offer medical advice, saving the patient from travelling to Melbourne.
“It means that Victorians living in smaller rural areas will have better access to the best care close to home, close to family and friends.”
Mr Brumby said the introduction of the Gillard Federal Government’s National Broadband Network would provide quicker and more reliable transmission of images.
“The NBN will make a real difference to people’s lives, by allowing quicker diagnosis and earlier treatment,” he said.
Earlier this year, the Brumby Labor Government acted to protect the funding arrangements of Victoria’s 44 small rural hospitals as part of the historic COAG agreement on health reform.
”Our Government has always backed country health services with record support and we argued their case nationally during the recent debate on important health reforms,” he said.
Topics: 2010, Australia, Brumby Labor Government, business, COAG, diagnosis, doctors, economic development, economic growth, Economy, Gillard Federal Government, Governance, government, health reforms, health services, hospitals, investment, John Brumby, medical speacialists, moniter, monitor, National Broadband Network, news, nurses, rural areas, rural health services, seniors, telemedicine, treatment, Victoria, video conferencing
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