ATSE says Australia needs a healthcare `assistive technology’ network

The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) says Australia needs to set up a network of people working in health care on assistive technologies – or emerging assistive and medical technologies – to address the disconnect between assistive technology research and its translation into commercialisation and practice.

Such a network could help remove barriers to the effective adoption of technology to enable healthy independent living, give access to information and expertise, analyse regulations and standards, and promote collaboration between researchers, industry, government and users.

Social networking tools could provide an important mechanism for identifying and engaging a wider audience for the potential of the application of emerging assistive and medical technologies.

NICTA’s eHealth Business Team supports building such a network and is part of the technology forum

The complete media release is available.

Australasian telehealth celebrates its coming of age

Laurie Wilson, Pulse Magazine.

The injection of funds into local telehealth provision through the MBS telehealth item numbers and the NBN-enabled telehealth pilots program means the more widespread adoption of telehealth in Australia is beginning to take shape. The potential of these initiatives, and the strategic directions for telehealth over the next few years, will be discussed at the Global Telehealth 2012 conference in Sydney in November.

Although telehealth has been part of Australian healthcare since the foundation of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the last few years have seen an explosion of activity and a fundamental change in the way telehealth is viewed within the health system. The primary catalyst for change has been the Australian government’s introduction of telehealth items into the Medicare Benefits Schedule in mid-2011.

Australasian telehealth celebrates its coming of age.

More information is available at the conference website.