A pharmacy in Charters Towers will expand its patient counselling services by offering a new way to engage and learn with the latest technology and equipment into patient care, according to Griffiths Pharmacy Manager Stephen Hall.

Griffiths Pharmacy will release new resources to enhance the pharmacy’s ability to provide information, while helping patients better manage their health and medications.

“We plan to make our patient counselling a much more interactive experience by using new iPads to educate patients on their health conditions,” Mr Hall said.

“Our aim is to provide them with greater access to information and resources for better managing their health conditions.”

Griffiths Pharmacy was a successful applicant in the most recent round of Northern Queensland Primary Health Network’s (NQPHN) Digital Capability Grants.

Mr Hall said the pharmacy staff were excited to embrace the new technology and equipment.

“We have used the grant funding to purchase two iPads to be used for our patient counselling,” he said. “This will be a new technological offering.

“These iPads will provide us with another medium to use to interact with our patients, especially for patients that prefer a more visual form of communication.

“It is great for our staff to see that we are investing in the technology and services for the health of our patients.

“I also believe it will make it easier for our staff in their interactions with patients and allow them to create more value by sharing online resources and education.”

Each NQPHN Digital Capability Grant (phase 1) is $1,000 and the program aims to help primary care providers in the NQPHN region grow and develop a seamless digital health care service for their patients.

Grant applications are accepted per business/organisation, not per individual provider.

The NQPHN Digital Capability Grant (phase 2) is open now. More information can be found here.

Digitally savvy clients are one of the reasons a Whitsunday occupational therapy clinic is upgrading its digital technology, according to Principal Occupational Therapist Tina Hamilton.

Occupational Therapy Whitsunday, in Proserpine, is enhancing its digital capabilities to allow for more engagement, connection, and positive change for its digitally literate, often young, clientele.

And now, as a successful recipient of the Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) Digital Capability Grant, the clinic can start implementing its digital upgrade, which will, in turn, improve efficiency and reduce waiting list times, enabling more patients to be seen.

Ms Hamilton said digital technology was important for clinicians’ sessions as Occupational Therapy Whitsunday was a paediatric occupational therapy service for 0-19 year olds.

“Our clientele is generally highly digitally literate, and so to engage, connect, promote, and coach our clients for positive change we need to enhance our patient experience using digital technology and tools,” Ms Hamilton said.

“Our occupational therapy clinicians use digital platforms and iOS apps very frequently in our sessions with our clients.

“With the grant funding, we have purchased an iPad with mobile data to enable staff to write clinical notes during out-of-room sessions, for example, home or school, day-care and kindy visits.”

Like most health services during the COVID-19 pandemic era, Occupational Therapy Whitsunday, had moved to provide greater options for virtual patient care.

“To allow continuity of client service, provide options for client centred care, and to remain financially viable in that time during the pandemic, our clinic upgraded our digital capability and capacity,” Ms Hamilton said.

“We enabled telehealth services throughout our practice management systems and paid to increase software subscriptions to allow for greater diversity of platforms for telehealth, such as screen share and interactive whiteboards. In addition, we purchased hardware to facilitate telehealth consultations, which include flexible arm iPad stands, laptop risers, and high-quality headphone and microphone combinations to enable safe and effective ergonomic use for lengthy periods.

“With the current higher rates of virtual care, significant costs have been absorbed by our organisation. However, now we are ready to digitally upgrade again.

“Our next digital upgrade will also help enhance staff capabilities.”

Ms Hamilton said the team was working to mitigate the impact of the current significant health workforce shortages, while also continuing to provide services to patients.

“Being located in Proserpine, we have really felt the occupational therapy workforce shortages in rural and regional Queensland, and are grateful for the NQPHN Digital Capability Grant, which is helping us achieve our next phase of digital upgrades,” she said.

“Our solution at Occupational Therapy Whitsunday is to train, employ, and closely supervise Allied Health Assistants (AHA).

“To continue to enhance patient experience and improve patient outcomes, our AHAs also require access to digital technological resources, such as iPads to support and enable virtual face-to-face consultation offsite and access to patient education resource on and offsite.”

The NQPHN Digital Capability Grants Program (phase 1), with grants for $1,000, aims to help primary care providers, including allied health professionals, in the NQPHN region grow and develop a seamless digital health care service for their patients.

“Thank you to NQPHN for this opportunity to better care for patients and families in our community, it is much appreciated,” Ms Hamilton said. 

The NQPHN Digital Capability Grant (phase 2) is open now. More information can be found here.

A North Queensland general practice on the Atherton Tablelands will create a dedicated conference room for patients to use its telehealth facilities to speak with specialists.

It’s just one of the ways Eacham Medical Centre is becoming a more digitally enhanced general practice to make access to patient care easier and timelier.

And practice manager Rhodesia Karalis said the team is delighted to offer local residents this service.

Eacham Medical Centre will implement the dedicated room for telehealth consultations, while providing access to a practice GP or nurse if needed, among other digital upgrades as a successful applicant of the Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) Digital Capability Grant.

“The grant will allow our patients to connect more effectively with the services needed to benefit their health care journey,” Ms Karalis said.

“It’s really exciting to be able to provide our patients with better resources, and ultimately deliver the best care available.

“By providing a dedicated room set up with the necessary equipment for telehealth consultations, our patients can be connected with their chosen specialist, whatever the distance.

“We will put the grant funding towards purchasing updated equipment such as a computer, camera, and microphone for the telehealth consultation room for patients.”

Ms Karalis said the NQPHN Digital Capability Grant would enable the practice to connect with patients more effectively and provide better health care to those living rurally and remotely.

“We want to ensure we have the facilities to provide and assist our patients, while also allowing our practice to grow and change with new technology,” she said.

To enhance its digital capabilities further, Ms Karalis said Eacham Medical Centre would also upgrade other technology in the future.

“We intend to purchase new ophthalmoscopes and otoscopes, which will help our GPs stay up to date with capturing and sharing images with other health professionals, enabling better chronic disease management,” she said.

“We will also endeavour to expand our website to improve patient experience and to incorporate online bookings.

“This is extremely important as a practice where our patients are rural and remote and will help us provide better care.

“We’re very keen to level out our playing field when it comes to the types of technology we use and are grateful to be given the opportunity to do this. Thanks, NQPHN!”

The NQPHN Digital Capability Grants Program aims to help primary care providers in the NQPHN region grow and develop a seamless digital health care service for their patients.

Each NQPHN Digital Capability Grant (phase 1) is $1,000, and grant applications are accepted per business/organisation, not per individual provider.

The NQPHN Digital Capability Grant (phase 2) is open now. More information can be found here.