A general practice in Weipa is upgrading its “unreliable” digital and telehealth technology to provide more timely and efficient health care to better serve patients in the town and surrounding communities.

And the team couldn’t be happier.

Weipa Primary Health is a successful applicant of the Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) Digital Capability Grant Program, where each NQPHN Digital Capability Grant is $1,000. The grants are open to general practices, Aboriginal Medical Services (AMSs), pharmacies (MMM 4-7), and allied health clinics within the NQPHN region.

As the only general practice in Weipa outside of the hospital, upgrading the digital technology will reduce the inconvenience of long waiting lists, giving people access to more timely care.

Weipa Primary Health practice manager Piyal Silva said the team was excited about the grant funding.

“We know what this means for the health care of our town and surrounding communities – and it’s really good news,” Mr Silva said.

“Reliable telehealth equipment is extremely important for the people in our region, especially during wet season when the town is restricted and only accessible by plane and boat.

“Being able to access GPs and other health professionals in a timely manner during wet season is critical when the roads are closed and physical access to the practice is limited.

“Even in the dry season, people must travel hundreds of kilometres, or wait until a visiting medical professional arrives. We expect the new telehealth consulting equipment will provide more timely relief and care.    

“It’s due to these accessibility issues and remoteness that quality health care for our residents and those in surrounding areas isn’t a luxury, it’s an essential.”

That’s when digital technology and video conferencing becomes a lifeline for the 4,500 people of the mining town.

“For minor health issues, we can use telehealth consulting. However, patients have expressed they’d prefer video option. This type of digital technology will provide us with more health care options for our community,” Mr Silva said.

“The NQPHN Digital Capability Grant will help us purchase the required additional equipment to set up a video call facility to reach a wider variety of people who cannot make it to see a GP.

“The video consulting facility will allow us to treat patients with minor illnesses from the comfort of their home or workplace. We will also be able to treat patients with an infectious disease without risking the health of our staff, and even though this is not an alternative for face-to-face consultations, people with restricted mobility will also benefit immensely.”

Mr Silva said after careful consideration of various equipment combinations, the practice had decided to purchase a small universal video rig kit and iPhone 14 for simplicity, reliability, and clarity.

“The rig kit consists of an independent mic, power pack, speakers, stand, and brackets, which will allow it to stand alone. Because it is an independent stand-alone unit, it will allow doctors to use the computer for their research work while on the telehealth call,” he said.

“Given time and experience, we will be able to fine tune and enhance our digital capability and range and we are very grateful to NQPHN for the Digital Capability Grant and what it means for our community.”

The NQPHN Digital Capability Grants Program aims to help the 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.