In their own words

See and read for yourself about telehealth from our patients, regional clinicians and doctors at Peter Mac - "Why NOT telehealth?"

A/Prof Kate Burbury

“Everyone in Australia is entitled to the same expert cancer care, no matter where they live, or what their cancer is, or who they are”.  Peter Mac haematologist A/Prof Kate Burbury explains how telehealth can help make this possible.

  • Ask your GP, nurse or treating cancer team about telehealth.

Carmel O'Kane

Wimmera Cancer Nurse Practitioner Carmel O'Kane calls on metropolitan clinicians to consider "Why NOT telehealth?" for country patients...

Telehealth can link local teams in to ongoing treatment planning.  Involving a regional Cancer Resource Nurse in telehealth consultations helps them to ensure they provide the same excellent care to our shared patients as we do at Peter Mac. 

This can be enormously beneficial to patients who can avoid travel to Peter Mac for some care that can be managed locally.

If you live in regional Victoria or Interstate and are being treated at Peter Mac, ask your Peter Mac team or local health service if they can link in with Peter Mac by telehealth to keep some of your care closer to home.

Sitting in his ute in country Australia, Kevin can talk face-to-face with his doctor at Peter Mac in Melbourne using telehealth.

Kevin

Kevin, a semi-retired rice farmer and wool classer, has been coming to Peter Mac for the past nine years – meaning regular long trips into the city. But he’s recently started using telehealth, a service that allows patients to connect with Peter Mac by video from anywhere there is a computer, iPad, tablet or smart phone with internet.  

Working as a wool classer on remote sheep properties in the “back blocks of Australia”, Kevin would normally have to spend an entire day or more travelling to-and-from Melbourne.

“It saved me something like 3000km round trip, so instead of a 12 or 15-hour day I can do it in ten minutes on a video call from home.” Kevin says. “The convenience of it is amazing.” 

Graham

When Graham and his partner Jenny had to cancel their round Australia trip yet again, their treating team at Peter Mac agreed to work with them to get them on the road regardless.  Over the next 6 months, the team liaised closely with Jenny and health services throughout Australia to ensure Graham got the treatment he needed.  Through regular blood tests, blood transfusions and telehealth consultations back to Melbourne, Graham and Jenny were able to continue with their life dream while still on active cancer treatment. 

Telehealth is available to anyone when clinically appropriate

  • Ask your Peter Mac doctor, Patient Navigator or nurse 
  • Or email us