Grampians Health’s Horsham and Dimboola campuses will continue to offer an alternative to face-to-face appointments following the success of
telehealth during the COVID-
19 pandemic. 

Grampians Health acting lead executive Mark Knights said telehealth was safe and easy to use, less disruptive to day-to-day life and saved travel time.  

“Offering patients easier access to GPs, specialists, mental health and allied health professionals means improved health outcomes,” he said.

Dimboola’s Dominique Madden maintained her medical treatment during the pandemic via telehealth.  

Ms Madden is a liver transplant recipient and switched to telehealth as an alternative to face-to-face appointments during Victoria’s lockdowns.  

She said she would continue using telehealth in the future as it saved her travel time and the hassle of getting time off work.  

“As I live in Dimboola, there are limited medical services, so I access several health services through telehealth,” she said.

“My liver specialists are with the Austin Hospital in Melbourne, my diabetes specialist is from the Baker Institute in Melbourne, and I also sometimes have telehealth appointments with my GP at Nhill.

“I can’t begin to tell you how easy telehealth has made it to take care of my health without having to leave home. I work full-time in a very fast-paced job and I can’t always afford to take time off without falling behind on my work. 

“With telehealth, I can take 15 to 30 minutes off and get back to work very quickly.”  

Ms Madden received a liver transplant in 2017 and has been fortunate in her recovery.  

“While I have made pretty much a full recovery, I do have an almost non-existent immune system and take daily immunosuppressants to stay this way,” she said.  

“Telehealth during the pandemic has been amazing at keeping me safe from others who might have COVID, as I can do telehealth from the comfort of my home. My transplant hospital is a three-hour drive away for me, so it saves me a lot of time, not having to travel.” 

Mr Knights said residents who previously put off face-to-face appointments due to hours of travel were much more likely to continue treatment and attend follow-up appointments. 

“Telehealth also helps drive greater efficiency and is a viable alternative to the way some health care is traditionally delivered,” he said.

People can visit website whcg.org.au/telehealth for more information about telehealth.

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