Store-and-Forward

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

Store and Forward approaches to telehealth have been successfully implemented for clinical situations where assessment of motion is not required, for example dermatology and wound care. The CRE's Store and Forward researchers will investigate the best ways to translate the success of Store and Forward approaches into other modes of telehealth service delivery. It will also explore the applicability, sustainability and economics of each mode. Aspects of the research will also aim to inform policy development regarding the relative benefits of modes, specifically Store and Forward approaches, with an aim to receive support for less expensive modes through the MBS.

Our work

Emergency teledermatology service

Dermatologists at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, provide specialist support for the diagnosis and management of acute skin conditions across Queensland. Clinicians in Emergency Departments and rural hospitals throughout Queensland send skin images and relevant clinical history for review by an on-call dermatologist. Clinicians have rated the service as useful and the number of referrals is growing rapidly. Future projects will evaluate the service’s cost-effectiveness, examine how to increase clinician engagement in various settings, and investigate ways of improving the systems used for transferring clinical information.

Consumer mobile teledermoscopy

This project aims to advance the early detection of skin cancers. Using a special lens attachment for mobile phone cameras, consumers can take a photo of a mole that looks suspicious and send it to a dermatologist for telediagnosis. Studies suggest that the quality of the photos is adequate. This project is considering consumer and clinician acceptability of using such devices, and assessing potential business models and health economics to support wider implementation.