Conroy unveils $60m eHealth NBN project fund

James Riley
Thursday, 20 August 2009 11:49

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

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.”

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