Telehealth service coming for chronically ill

Project will combine monitoring with RN support.

HCF, Telstra and Healthways have formed a partnership to deliver the largest telehealth service of its kind in Australia.

The project, which will involve bio-metric monitoring combined with telephone-based health support from RNs, will be launched for selected HCF members suffering from chronic health issues.

Using the Telstra Next G mobile network, patients will be able to access the latest technologies to help manage conditions. This includes wifi-enabled devices for measuring blood pressure, weight, blood glucose levels and oxygen saturation levels in blood.

This is the latest in a series of enhancements to the My Health Guardian program, delivered by Healthways on behalf of HCF, which already supports more than 27,000 patients with a chronic condition.

HCF managing director Shaun Larkin said the “strategic partnership with Telstra will help many of these members better control these conditions, using the latest digital technology and devices”.

This announcement follows a successful pilot scheme. Feedback from users has been positive. HCF member Gordon Schultz describes the service as great.

“Until I got sick I didn’t realise all of this support was there,” he said. “It’s fantastic to know someone is there other than your doctor, giving advice and monitoring. It’s been a real eye-opener.”