Major transition to telehealth underway in Tasmania

The Tasmanian Government is continuing its tireless quest to keep residents safe in the COVID-19 pandemic, through a series of new initiatives.

At its Launceston General Hospital (LGH), a major transition to telehealth is already underway, as the facilities strive to comply with social distancing guidelines. Outpatients are also being redirected from the Specialist Clinics to the Northern Integrated Care Service building, where they will be less exposed to COVID-19 patients.

The number of face-to-face consultations onsite at the LGH has been reduced, and consultation and waiting rooms reconfigured. Only urgent patients will be seen in the clinic, and only in cases where it is absolutely necessary.

More than 20 virtual rooms have been expanded to accommodate up to 5000 telehealth appointments. This will enable the hospital to provide as many as 500 consultations simultaneously. The telehealth services are being facilitated by a secure connection service, to guarantee patient privacy.

A spokesperson for the hospital said, “We know this is an extremely tough time for the community, but Tasmanians can be assured we will continue to do whatever it takes to stop the spread of coronavirus in Tasmania.

“We are boosting our services and delivering the infrastructure our health professionals need to deliver safe care.”

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