Bring heart health care to the bush

Bayer Australia and Heart of Australia have learned up to launch a specialist medical clinic-on-wheels that will provide front-line specialist medical services to rural and remote communities across Queensland.
The mobile clinic opened its doors in Toowoomba and will travel more than 72,000km in its first year on the road.
Dr Jacqueline Applegate, managing director Bayer CropScience Australia and New Zealand, said the initiative was another example of Bayer’s ongoing commitment to improving the wellbeing of those living in rural and remote areas across Australia.
“At Bayer, we believe in Science for a Better Life and through Heart of Australia we’re providing farmers with access to the healthcare services they need.” She said.
Heart of Australia is the brainchild of Dr Rolf Gomes, a cardiologist from Brisbane and owner of the Medihearts practice.
“It is difficult for farmers in rural and remote locations to leave their farms and livelihoods to travel hundreds of kilometres for medical care, let alone travel when they’re unwell,” he said.
The purpose-built, self-sufficient trailer provides two private clinic rooms, a testing room and a reception area for patients. It is wheelchair accessible and fully air-conditioned.
“The vision for Heart of Australia is to bring services to people’s doorsteps – to give them what city people have easy access to and hopefully prevent further poor health.” Dr Gomes said.
All non-invasive tests available to patients in Brisbane will be available onboard the mobile clinic, including everything them echocardiogram and cardiac stress testing to heart monitoring, blood pressure monitoring and respiratory testing.
Heart of Australia will bring fortnightly cardiac and respiratory services to each area it visits with specialists working on rotation as the trailer travels from town to town.
The first phase of the program includes five towns in south-west Queensland – Dalby, Roma, Charleville, St George and Goondiwindi.