Nukal Murra Virtual Home Monitoring
Chronic diseases are long-lasting, and while most are preventable and treatable, they cause approximately 64% of the disease burden among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and approximately 80% of the mortality gap.
Virtual remote monitoring (VRM) is a digital tool for better management of chronic conditions. Goondir Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Corporations for Health Services (Goondir Health Services) have launched a VRM program. WQPHN are committed to funding an expansion of the program within the Nukal Murra Alliance, which brings together the WQPHN and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Services (AICCHS) in a regionally focused, culturally informed partnership to improve the health, social and emotional wellbeing of our communities. Goondir Health Services patients are provided with a Bluetooth enabled monitoring device kit. Daily observations from the devices are recorded and transmitted into a portal which is accessed by an assigned clinician. The kit includes a blood pressure monitor, blood glucose monitor, pulse oximeter, weight scale and tablet.
In the program's first year there was 86% of all respondents rated the usability of the equipment as excellent and 58% of clients completed all their vital sign monitoring tasks. There were clinically significant reductions in measured outcomes and evidence of reduced hospitalisations.
