Australia's Queensland Government is set to invest approximately A$5.8m ($3.8m) annually to establish a new statewide ‘telestroke service’.
The move aims to ensure that residents in rural and regional areas have access to stroke specialists comparable to those in metropolitan areas.
According to the Queensland government, the service will facilitate prompt specialist assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for stroke patients.
In preparation for the service’s launch in the coming weeks, doctors and nurses at Hervey Bay Hospital are receiving specialised training in stroke care.
Rapid treatment is crucial for enhancing patient outcomes and minimising the long-term disability risk.
The telestroke service will also expedite access to advanced stroke treatments, including clot-dissolving medications and clot retrieval procedures, which depend on specialised stroke expertise.
Starting in 2025, additional hospitals will be integrated into the service as each site completes its training.
The latest development in the state is in line with national telestroke models, fostering research collaboration and improving access to emergency stroke care for rural and regional communities across the state.
Queensland seniors and disability services minister Charis Mullen said: “Across the country, around 50,000 people experience a stroke each year, with two-thirds over the age of 65.
“It’s so important that when Queenslanders suffer a stroke, they can get access to rapid treatment to ensure the best health outcomes possible.
“Importantly, we know that if patients can receive effective stroke therapies and treatment, it can vastly reduce the risk of long-term disability.”
In a separate development, the Queensland government has announced that the A$1.3bn Coomera Hospital project has reached a key milestone with the beginning of concrete pours for the substructure of the main hospital buildings.
This crucial stage involves laying the foundations that will support the advanced facility.
The initial major concrete pour will use three pumps and 30 trucks every hour over seven hours to deliver 1,200m³ of concrete for the lift cores of the main hospital building.
This process is vital for establishing a solid and stable base for the 404-bed hospital, which aims to ease the burden on Gold Coast University Hospital and Robina Hospital.
Design for the Coomera Hospital project is advancing alongside the early on-site work, with the detailed design now 80% complete.
The project is expected to be completed by late 2027, with major construction set to commence next year.
A virtual fly-through released in May offers a glimpse of the hospital's anticipated appearance once completed.
