The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Telemedicine reaching out
Technology is being used to remotely diagnose and treat patients in parts of rural Tayside.
Ian Morrison, consultant neurologist at Ninewells Hospital, explained how, instead of patients travelling in to Ninewells from rural Angus or Perthshire, he is now able to carry out consultations via video screens in GP surgeries, and it’s eliminated geographic and practical difficulties.
Mr Morrison, who said he “appreciated the NHS far more” after a spell working in America, said: “At our epilepsy clinic about one in three patients don’t turn up for their appointments and that has a significant impact on our clinical workload. That in turn affects our waiting times. So we’ve looked at ways to address that.
“Patients often say they can’t come to hospital, they can’t get to transport, they can’t get their car parked, they don’t feel well enough. If they have psychiatric illness they might feel anxious when they get to hospital. How can we bring the hospital to them? One of the things we looked at was telemedicine.”
Mr Morrison said a study began with the establishment of a telemedicine clinic at Perth Prison. It reflected the difficulties and resources involved in getting prisoners from a secure unit to hospital.
With Tayside being a diverse geographical area, it also reflected practical issues of public transport.
“There are also some patients who are very disabled and require significant nursing support where they can’t leave their care home,” he said.
“Practically, it’s very difficult for me to go out and see them regularly. If people are in their GP surgery, they are more happy to attend as it’s local.”