The pilot program will mean healthcare professionals can monitor a patient's health on a daily basis, without the patient needing to leave their home.
Kiama Downs resident Maurie Earls together with his wife Mary signed up for the pilot program this week.
The 75-year-old said he thought telehealth would be the future of aged healthcare in Australia.
"You have control of your own destiny - you can stay in your house and not have to go into an aged-care facility," he said.
Participants will measure their own health metrics, like blood pressure, every day, and enter the details into an iPad.
A nurse will then monitor the patient's health remotely, as well as checking in regularly with them via video-conferencing.
Mr Earls said telehealth programs would be particularly useful in rural areas, where access to doctors was often limited.
"This is still a regional area so GPs are stressed and their workloads are high," he said.
Federal Communications Minister Stephen Conroy announced funding on Thursday for the program, which will be run in the Illawarra by the IRT Group, a seniors lifestyle and care provider.
Over 65-year-olds living in early roll-out areas of the NBN, including Kiama, Dapto and Wollongong, can take part in the program by contacting IRT on 1800 024 915.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Amelia Caddy
Quelle/Source: Illawarra Mercury, 11.05.2013
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