Deb Frecklington
June 8, 2018
Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington has requested a briefing with the Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service (DDHHS) over Kingaroy Hospital not being included in the State Government’s “digital hospitals” program.
On Thursday, Health Minister Dr Steven Miles announced the government will expand the number of digital hospitals from eight to 27 by 2020.
The hospitals use advanced technology to allow clinicians to monitor a patient’s vital signs such as blood pressure, temperature and heart rate in real time.
Medical staff can also access electronic medical records 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.
Early results from five of the State’s digital hospitals had shown an 88 per cent reduction in pressure injuries, and a 37 per cent reduction in hospital-acquired infections.
Dr Miles said that by 2020, 80 per cent of patients receiving public health care in Queensland would be treated in a digital hospital.
However, Mrs Frecklington is not impressed.
“It is very disappointing to learn that Kingaroy Hospital is not on the list to be included in the Digital Hospital rollout,” Mrs Frecklington said on Friday.
“Common sense would indicate that including digital technologies at the same time as the hospital undergoes a $62 million refurbishment would be the way to go.
“However, once again Kingaroy will miss out.”
Mrs Frecklington said she would seek information from the DDHHS to get a better understanding of the services that would be included in the new hospital.
“This will certainly be on my long list of questions,” she said.
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