THE facilities for Esperance doctors to hold clinical consultations with their colleagues in Perth from the Esperance Hospital will be improved within the next six months, with the Health Department confirming that upgrades will be performed on Esperance Hospital’s telehealth services to improve both sound and picture quality.

Currently, telehealth facilities at Esperance Hospital provide the infrastructure for services such as clinical consultations between local health professionals and those in Perth, the transfer of patient information or images between sites and educational opportunities for local health workers.

Under the Clever Networks initiative, the State and Federal Governments have both contributed $3million to improve broadband connections and telehealth infrastructure in regional WA.

Health Minister Jim McGinty said the funding would be used to expand the telehealth network to an additional 19 health centres and improve services at 59 existing sites, with Esperance Hospital confirmed as one of those sites.

“This means more country people will be able to access specialist services without having to travel to Perth,” Mr McGinty said.

“Patients, country GPs and hospital staff can use telehealth facilities to consult with specialists across the State and emergency services such as the Royal Flying Doctor Service can link with metropolitan emergency departments.”

The upgrade will take place in two parts, with Esperance Hospital’s broadband facilities already upgraded to significantly improve the speed of telehealth services.

A spokesperson for the Health Department confirmed that in the next six months, upgrades would be made to the teleheath facilities at Esperance Hospital to improve sound and imaging quality.