South Western Sydney Primary Health Network (SWSPHN) is inviting feedback from Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) across our region about what support they require to increase the availability and use of telehealth services for their residents.
We have received funding from the Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHAC) to promote appropriate telehealth facilities and equipment in RACFs to facilitate increased capability and usage.
We will also:
- Provide training to improve the capacity of RACF staff to assist residents with accessing telehealth consultations
- Encourage the use of My Health Record by RACFs to improve how information is shared between healthcare providers
- Assist RACFs to ensure appropriate after-hours plans are in place, and provide education on after-hours care options and processes
Understanding needs of RACFs in our region
SWSPHN is conducting a needs assessment of all RACFs within south western Sydney to determine the level of support they require to increase the availability and use of telehealth services at their facility.
Our current ETA for needs assessment completion is March 2023.
The financial assistance SWSPHN offers your RACF may include:
- procurement of equipment required for telehealth consultations, including IT hardware and software, and
- staff training in the availability and use of telehealth options.
Complete an expression of interest for your facility
Complete the RACF telehealth grants EOI nowNeed help or have questions?
Please contact our Digital Health Team on (02) 4632 3000 or email digitalhealth@swsphn.com.au.
FAQ
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What happens after I submit my EOI?ViewHide
- On receipt of your completed form, we will contact your facility with any additional questions we may have. This may include contact with your IT provider.
- We will be in contact again once all participating RACFs have been contacted and the needs assessment is completed by our team – current ETA for our needs assessment is March 2023.
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What questions will you ask in your survey?ViewHide
- Details about your facility (e.g. how many beds, main contact details, ownership)
- Information about your clinical software
- Your IT support contact details
- Internet connection at your facility (e.g. drop-outs, poor or slow connection speeds)
- Telehealth at your facility (e.g. types of clinical staff who currently interact with your residents via telehealth)
- Current equipment used for telehealth
- Your desired equipment for telehealth consultations (please note: this provides SWSPHN with an indication of your requirements. Our final assessment for supply of any hardware or equipment to support telehealth consultations is based on best practice guidelines and may differ)
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How can my facility benefit from telehealth?ViewHide
Telehealth consultations can be performed at the bedside of a resident, keeping the disturbance of residents to the minimum. A mobile device, for example, a mobile phone, tablet, or a laptop, can be used for teleconsultations. This requires reliable internet connection in each residence.
The device also needs to be capable of accessing the system that the health provider will initiate the telehealth consultation on.
If digital medical devices are required for telehealth consultation they need to integrate with clinical software so the medical information can be transmitted to the health provider.
The health providers will need the background information, e.g., demographic information about the resident who requires telehealth consultation. New issues with the resident can be communicated via telephone or video consultation.
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How do I use My Health Record in my RACF?ViewHide
My Health Record contains hospital discharge summaries, pathology reports (including COVID-19 test reports), diagnostic imaging reports, drug allergy details, and medication history, and more.
With the help of My Health Record, nurses (and other AHPRA registered practitioners) working in RACFs can obtain information instantly via My Health Record conformant clinical software or the national provider portal.
If a resident who previously opted out of My Health Record wants to register, nurses or other AHPRA registered practitioners can assist with the registration.