Northam’s Colin Easther says a new telehealth service for Wheatbelt residents with respiratory health problems couldn’t be simpler to use.
Colin Easther, 74, who has moderate emphysema, now goes to Northam Hospital rather than drive all the way to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital to speak to his respiratory educator.
“It’s very convenient, I just walk into a room and talk to her on the television set,” he said.
“It’s very private and you don’t need to be tech-savvy, all you need to do is adjust the volume knob.”
Other people living in the Wheatbelt and also the Great Southern can now speak to respiratory educators about their asthma, chronic bronchitis or emphysema without leaving town, thanks to the new telehealth service launched last month.
The Asthma & COPD Telehealth Service uses phone and video conference to support rural people who have problems with breathing or are feeling breathless.
COPD is another name for chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
Colin, who runs a local COPD support group, Wheatbelt Wheezers, said the clarity of the videoconference was very good.
“Last time, my respiratory educator gave me a demonstration of how to use the new equipment using a mannequin and it was very easy to see and I could ask her questions straight away,” he explained.
“It’s a good system.”
The Asthma & COPD Telehealth Service is the result of a partnership between the WA Country Health Service (WACHS) and the WA Primary Health Alliance, the Country WA Primary Health Network and the Asthma Foundation WA (AFWA).
The education and support is being delivered across the region by experienced Clinical Respiratory and Asthma Educators from Asthma Foundation WA.
“People who live in rural areas sometimes have no access to education and clinical support, and we can link them to respiratory educators using videoconferencing,” said WACHS senior project officer, Kate Hawkings.
“People can either visit their local GP, health centre or hospital to be connected to the educators, or they can use their home computer.”
Country WA Primary Health Network general manager Linda Richardson said the new service would improve access to support and education for people in rural and remote areas.
“We are committed to ensuring people in regional areas receive the care they need in the right place and at the right time,” Ms Richardson said.
“While Asthma & COPD Telehealth is not designed to replace or substitute existing services in the regions, it aims to increase and improve much needed community access to asthma and COPD education and support closer to people’s homes.”
Respiratory Physician, associate professor Peter Kendall said the service was designed to work in collaboration with local doctors to help people better manage their condition.
“When people know how they can help themselves, they can dramatically improve their quality of life,” he said.
“The benefit of this service is that people don’t have to travel to the city or a major centre to do it – they can receive specialist advice from the comfort of their own town or home.”
To access this service, people with asthma or COPD can refer themselves or be referred by their General Practitioner or other health professional.
Referrals can be made by telephone on 1800 ASTHMA 278 462, fax (08 9289 3601) or via secure email (telehealth@asthmawa.org.au).
The Wheatbelt Wheezers support group meets on the last Monday of the month from 10 to 12pm at the Uniting Church on Duke Street.
For more information on the Wheatbelt Wheezers support group, contact Colin Easther on 0468 452 962.
