Queensland's Gold Coast Health has set up a bedside terminal solution by health IT provider Rauland Australia to reduce physical interactions in its COVID-19 ward. 

WHAT IT DOES

Rauland's Concierge platform combines Siemens HiMed bedside terminals and Rauland’s software and services. It supports patient engagement with features including telehealth, on-demand patient education, patient information, electronic meal ordering, patient communications and entertainment.

WHY IT MATTERS

The platform was installed in the COVID-19 ward at Gold Coast University Hospital to minimise nursing contact amid rising coronavirus infections and to enable remote consultations. 

Commenting on the installation, Dr Kylie Alcon, Gold Coast Health's clinical director overseeing the COVID-19 ward, said: "It is one thing to talk on the phone to a patient while looking at their observations on a computer screen, but to see the patient, even virtually, gives the treating doctor a more complete picture as well as cementing a therapeutic doctor-patient relationship that is hard to do on the phone." 

THE LARGER CONTEXT

There has been a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases across Queensland since end July due to an outbreak caused by the Delta variant. As of 19 September, total COVID-19 infections across the state topped 2,000 with 27 active cases. In Gold Coast, five patients are currently being treated for the disease.

The pandemic has led to shortages in hospital staff; positive cases have taken out entire shifts of staff and in some instances, no casual workers are left to back them up, according to Vickie Knight, clinical services executive at Rauland Australia. "Virtual care is minimising face-to-face contact nursing, therefore reducing exposure risk. Patients have adapted to virtual care and satisfaction is high," she said. 

ON THE RECORD

"The high-tech Concierge platform has enabled hospital staff to continue to provide quality care to their patients while maintaining a safe environment. The long-term partnership allowed a solution to be rapidly deployed to the designated COVID-19 ward, significantly reducing the risk to patients and staff," Rauland Australia CEO Cameron Burt said.