Sunshine Coast aside

Hello I’m Dr Prem Ram. I’m a palliative care physician working in the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health service. Queensland Health is expanding telehealth services for rural and remote patients in our state. This has led to the creation of the Queensland Specialist Palliative Rural Telehealth Service.

GPs, hospitals and community clinicians caring for adult patients with terminal illnesses can now access specialist advice and support through telehealth. The service will operate from four hubs, Cairns, Townsville, Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. The Sunshine Coast hub will support Wide Bay, Central Queensland and Central West Queensland.

To access this service GPs and specialists just need to visit our website and complete a referral form, this will determine where and when the telehealth consultation will occur. The consultation takes place alongside the referring clinician at their GP practice, hospital or primary health centre. Alternatively, it can be done in the comfort of the patient’s home or their residential aged care facility.

Eligible patients are those with terminal illness, with complex symptoms, psychosocial needs and end-of-life care that requires specialist advice and support. The Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service has a well-established history of providing specialist palliative care in the community via telehealth. This new initiative will be of great value to palliative patients and their clinicians and will provide equitable support to our rural and remote communities.