The University of Queensland is taking healthcare to the final frontier with a new suite of postgraduate programs focused on the delivery of quality care through cyberspace.
Harnessing the power of the Internet, UQ's Centre for Online Health is offering web-based training in space-age healthcare that will enable professionals to treat patients anywhere in the world - including remote outback Australia.
Lecturer Jennifer Tichon said e-healthcare was the logical and responsible extension of modern technology to meet the demands of global health issues.
'If remote medical sensors can successfully transmit climbers' health information to base camp through the harsh conditions of the world's highest mountain peak, then they must be robust enough for the outback,' Ms Tichon said.
'If hand-carried ultrasound systems can successfully transmit the health status of astronauts in space flight to NASA in Houston, then it is going to work in the delivery of healthcare to remote earth-bound locations.
'These postgraduate degrees in e-healthcare can teach professionals how such extreme environments contribute to the development and use of e-health products. You can actually look at the future of healthcare through 3D glasses in a virtual laboratory!'
Ms Tichon said the new postgraduate programs were available part-time or full-time via complete web delivery, thus allowing health professionals to still meet current work commitments and paving the way for international enrolments.
She continued: 'E-healthcare promises potentially limitless benefits for health professionals and their clients.
'However, while some of the technologies are certainly thrilling and leading-edge, practitioners need to learn how to improve, control and more effectively use the variety of tools and techniques encompassed by e-health.'
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT
SENIOR MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER CARRIE SCHOFIELD ON (07) 3346 4713 OR JENNIFER TICHON ON (07) 3365 2766.
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