A mobile telemedicine-enabled ear screening service for Indigenous children in Queensland: activity and outcomes in the first three years

Smith, Anthony C., Armfield, Nigel R., Wu, Wei-I, Brown, Cecil A. and Perry, Chris (2012) A mobile telemedicine-enabled ear screening service for Indigenous children in Queensland: activity and outcomes in the first three years. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 18 8: 485-489.


Author Smith, Anthony C.
Armfield, Nigel R.
Wu, Wei-I
Brown, Cecil A.
Perry, Chris
Title A mobile telemedicine-enabled ear screening service for Indigenous children in Queensland: activity and outcomes in the first three years
Journal name Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare  (ERA 2012 Listed)    (ERA 2010 Rank B)   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 2012-12
Sub-type Article
Year available 2012
DOI 10.1258/jtt.2012.GTH114
Volume number 18
Issue number 8
ISSN 1357-633X; 1758-1109
Start page 485
End page 489
Total pages 5
Place of publication London, United Kingdom
Publisher Royal Society of Medicine Press
Collection year 2013
Language eng
Abstract A mobile ear-screening service was established in an Aboriginal community in central Queensland. Telemedicine allowed ear nose and throat (ENT) specialists at the tertiary children's hospital in Brisbane to assess children at a distance using pre-recorded information comprising video-otoscopic images and the results of tympanometry and audiometry. During the first three years, 1053 children were registered with the service. A total of 2111 screening assessments were carried out at 21 schools in the region. The average screening rate achieved in the community was 85%. More than half of all assessments resulted in a referral to the ENT specialist (for online assessment) or local doctor (for treatment). Twenty specialist ENT online clinics were conducted during which 415 patients were reviewed. Over half of all online review cases (55%) resulted in appointments at the next ENT outreach clinic for further review and/or surgery. The community-based screening service led by local Indigenous health workers, and linked to a tertiary children's hospital by telemedicine, was an effective method for routine screening of children at risk of hearing impairment.
Q-Index Code C1
Q-Index Status Confirmed Code
Institutional Status UQ
Additional Notes Published online before print 3 December 2012

 
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Created: Mon, 10 Dec 2012, 13:41:37 EST by Burke, Eliza on behalf of Centre for On-Line Health