The successes and challenges of providing a paediatric burns service by telehealth in Western Australia

The Princess Margaret Hospital Burns Telehealth Service provides a multidisciplinary service for paediatric burn outpatients living in rural and remote areas of Western Australia. In the two years since its establishment in August 2005, 164 patients have been referred to the service, with 297 clinical reviews undertaken via videoconference. An evaluation of the service was undertaken by surveying all families who had been reviewed by the service in a two-month period. Thirty survey forms were returned (a response rate of 51%). The majority of respondents felt that the telehealth service saved them money (82%), time (86%) and stress (79%) compared with conventional face-to-face outpatient clinic attendance in Perth. Ninety-three percent of responders were satisfied with the service. The estimated cost-saving in avoided travel was Aus$994 per videoconference (Aus$1 is is an element of 0.64, US$0.88). The success of the Burns Telehealth Service is reflected in its place as an integrated part of service delivery for Western Australian paediatric burn patients.