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RACS ASC 2025
Enhancing Medical Education Through Telehealth: Insights from the Mount Isa Telehealth Fracture Clinic
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Presentation Description

Institution: North West Hospital and Health Service - Queensland, Australia

Mount Isa Telehealth Fracture Clinic (TFC) has been a cornerstone of orthopaedic care in rural North-West Queensland for over 16 years. This consultant-driven service connects specialists and radiographers in Brisbane with patients, junior doctors, nurses, and medical students at Mount Isa Hospital, leveraging telehealth to provide high-quality care while fostering medical education and interprofessional collaboration. Functioning as a multidisciplinary learning platform, the TFC enables participants to engage in managing diverse fractures. In 2023, data from 340 referrals (January–June) demonstrated the wide variety of injuries managed, including metacarpal (53), forearm (44), and hand phalangeal fractures (35). Lower limb injuries are also common. Other cases include clavicular fractures, supracondylar elbow injuries, and postoperative reviews, with occasional spinal and pelvic fractures requiring assessment. Pathological fractures also appear, requiring careful evaluation and urgent referrals to oncology services via consultant-to-consultant communication. The breadth of cases highlights the clinical scope and its value as an educational hub, where participants refine diagnostic, radiological, and procedural skills under consultant mentorship. Radiographers enhance the learning experience by contributing insights into imaging and multidisciplinary teamwork, crucial for rural practice. This dual role of the TFC in advancing equitable healthcare access and serving as a model for healthcare professional training exemplifies its significance in resource-limited settings. By integrating telehealth with medical education, the TFC not only addresses disparities in specialist care but also prepares the future workforce with the broad competencies in rural surgical practice.
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Authors
Authors

Dr Nariyoshi Miyata - , Dr John North -