No Plan For Local Digital Hospital

June 7, 2018

A program to improve patient care in Queensland Hospitals by using digital technology does not include the new Kingaroy Hospital, despite the $62 million upgrade currently underway.

On Thursday, Health Minister Dr Steven Miles said Queensland now has eight “digital hospitals” in operation, and this number would expand to 27 by 2020 to ensure better public health care for 80 per cent of Queensland’s population.

Unfortunately, no South Burnett hospitals are among those listed for the upgrade.

Dr Miles said digital hospitals would revolutionise the speed and accuracy of patient care across Queensland.

Advanced technology would allow clinicians to monitor a patient’s vital signs such as blood pressure, temperature and heart rate in real time.

Electronic medical records would also be accessed in real time by scanning a barcode on the patient’s identity wristband with a handheld device.

Dr Miles said these tools were showing remarkable improvements in patient outcomes in the current digital hospitals.

“Data analysed from five of Queensland’s digital hospitals has shown an 88 per cent reduction in pressure injuries, and a 37 per cent reduction in hospital acquired infections,” he said.

“On-the-go monitoring allows clinicians to immediately identify any spikes or dips in a patient’s condition and quickly provide treatment.”

Other future developments in digital hospitals could include artificial intelligence, genomics, data analytics, digital wearable devices, apps, robotics, virtual reality and 3D printing.

“By 2020, 80 per cent of patients receiving public health care in Queensland will be treated in a digital hospital.”