James Riley
Thursday, 20 August 2009 12:49
IT Policy -
Government Tech Policy
Page 1 of 2
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has used an eHealth conference in Canberra to unveil a $60 million funding package to improve broadband-delivered health, emergency services and education in regional Australia.
Senator Conroy told the National eHealth Conference that delivering
better health outcomes across Australia was a key-driver for building
the National Broadband Network.
NBN applications in the eHealth sector were expected to deliver
billions of dollars worth of savings to Government, Senator Conroy
said, as well as create tens of thousands of new jobs.
The $60 million Digital Regions Initiative would fund projects to
deliver high-quality digital applications in the health sector to the
bush, including remote medical consultation, diagnosis and treatment.
Funding applications would also be open to projects targeting
technologies that delivered improved emergency and disaster response,
as well as resources and services to improve educational opportunities.
Senator Conroy said Government was now open to applications for
funding, and that projects were expected to start rolling out early
next year.
“The implications of the National Broadband Network and the advance of
ICT in the health and aged care sectors are profound,” Senator Conroy
told the conference.
“Already, in fledgling projects, we are starting to see the benefits of
remote diagnosis and care, connecting patients in regional hospitals
with specialists in capital cities,” he said.
“There is little doubt that ICT, and particularly ICT supported by
high-speed broadband, has the potential to revolutionise health and
aged care.”
CONTINUED Page 2
