A new virtual care programme is providing round-the-clock access to neonatal care in rural Queensland. 

US-based companies Royal Philips and Teladoc have tied up to help deliver the Neonatal Virtual Care programme to hospital chain Mater. 

The said programme, which was co-designed by the Mayo Clinic, provides patients, parents and bedside clinicians in Central Queensland with 24/7 access to senior neonatologist support. It is currently being employed at Mater Mackay and Rockhampton Hospitals. 

WHY IT MATTERS

According to a media release, the Neonatal Virtual Care programme was specifically designed to assist clinicians in the event of an unexpected neonatal resuscitation while reducing avoidable complications for newborns and providing a better experience for mothers.

The programme can also potentially address various barriers to accessing high-quality care services in rural and regional communities.

THE LARGER TREND

Philips and Teladoc started their partnership to deliver virtual care solutions in Australia and New Zealand in 2021. They have combined their technologies to offer hospitals and health systems a scalable end-to-end virtual care service that enables remote patient monitoring, especially in low-resource settings. 

Meanwhile, during the pandemic, Mater also worked with Philips to implement the QuestManager to enable home treatment of COVID-19 patients. 

ON THE RECORD

Commenting on the Neonatal Virtual Care programme, Dr Pita Birch of Mater Rockhampton Hospital said: "The solution was effective in providing an added layer of care and confidence to both our clinicians and families, helping us deliver the best care possible."

"Programmes like this demonstrate how virtual care delivery models can strengthen health systems and foster equitable access to health care," Philips ANZ Managing Director Matt Moran also said.