Report on the evaluation of a teleradiology pilot project between Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children and Nepean Hospital July-September 1993

Abstract

A teleradiology pilot project was conducted between Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, Camperdown, Sydney and the Nepean Hospital, a distance of 48 km. The project involved the transmission of some 600 pediatric X-rays at full resolution over the three month period July-September, 1993. The equipment used was a Kodak film digitiser and image viewing work stations at each hospital, connected to a Telecom Microlink 128 Kbps service by Network Designers ISIS Access Server Kit. Evaluation of the project was conducted by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. The results of the trial demonstrated that it was possible to transmit pediatric chest images of diagnostic quality in a reliable and secure manner. As the cost of air-lifting pediatric patients and supporting relatives from country to metropolitan centres can range from $AU7,000 to $AU10,000 per episode, it is considered that the establishment of a teleradiology system can be cost justified, particularly if regard is given to the intangible benefits of providing a 24-hour specialist pediatric diagnostic service to remote hospitals.