The CRE in Telehealth concluded in September 2019. Description of work below is not current.

Over 75% of Australia’s hospitals are located in regional or remote areas. They constitute 100% of Australia’s small acute hospitals, and 85% of small non-acute hospitals. 

The lack of a full range of specialist services means that patients are often transferred to regional or metropolitan hospitals, which, over time creates a downward spiral of capability and challenges the hospital’s viability. A variety of telehealth strategies would provide some of this much-needed expertise, with the result that some transfers might be avoided and that the quality of care improved. 

This could enable more people to be treated closer to home and reverse the trend away from non-viability.