Wed,Apr,2020
Heart of Australia is set to expand its services, supporting the respiratory health of mine workers and providing mobile medical imaging including X-ray and CT services to rural and remote Queenslanders as part of a new partnership with the Queensland Government.
The partnership will see a new, custom-built, B-Double mobile clinic with the capacity to provide medical imaging including X-ray and CT scanning added to the growing Heart of Australia fleet.
The new expanded services will provide significant advancements in terms of access to health screening and diagnostic services for individuals and families throughout rural and remote communities. This includes the provision of health assessments to current and former mine and quarry workers to facilitate early detection of mine dust lung diseases like black lung and silicosis.
Heart of Australia’s Founder and Cardiologist, Dr Rolf Gomes, said there was a clear need for locally accessible medical imaging services in rural and regional communities, and that the new mobile clinic will take digital imaging staff and the state-of-the-art equipment they require to the communities where they are needed.
“Ultimately in medicine, you can only treat the problems you can find, and access to medical imaging plays a critical role in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. As a simple example if you have a cough which just won’t go away, then you may need a CT scan of your chest because if you do happen to have a cancer, you want to know about it when it’s the size of a pea, not a tennis ball,” Dr Gomes said.
“Providing rural patient’s access to locally delivered medical imaging services will make an enormous difference and save lives.”
“We are thrilled to be working in partnership with the Queensland Government. The expansion to mobile medical imaging, especially mobile CT scans is a step-change evolution in the services we currently deliver. It acknowledges the vital role medical imaging plays in the practice of modern medicine and brings us closer to equitable access to healthcare for all Australians regardless of postcode.”
Dr Gomes would like to take this opportunity to additionally acknowledge all of Heart of Australia’s partners, including its Foundation Partner, Arrow Energy, who have been instrumental in the organisation’s development, allowing it to operate, innovate and rise to the challenge of this exciting new milestone.
Tue,Apr,2020
There are many different reasons why country people find it difficult or impossible to travel to major cities for health care. For ‘Skip’ (Michael) Field, it’s PTSD.
A fantastic, larger than life character, Skip has lived a life of many turns. He is a proud veteran of the Royal Australian Navy, having been a clearance diver in his youth, involved in underwater warfare and “checking ships bums for ordinance and explosives.”
He has also spent time as a magician, a clinical hypnotherapist, an international motorbike tourist (think Easy Rider) and a successful entrepreneur, having set up motorcycle and scuba diving businesses in Brisbane.
“I’ve had a lot of experiences and gained a lot of things during my life. Unfortunately, one of the things I’ve picked up is PTSD.”
When Skip started experiencing some of the less common symptoms of a heart attack, he assumed it was all in his head.
“Like everyone else, I knew about the classic symptoms, like chest pain, and shooting pain down the arm, but that’s not what I had.”
“It’s a bit of a bizarre story actually. The night before, I’d been talking to a mate of mine about his own recent dance with death. He told me about all the symptoms his heart attack presented with. They were nothing like the ‘Ahhh me heart!’ indications I had previously associated with a heart attack.
“The very next morning, I started to experience those same unusual symptoms, so I assumed it was all in my head because we’d been talking about it. Some kind of hypochondria. I mean, what are the chances?
“But it got worse, and then the severity of my situation became clear pretty quick. I was having a heart attack. And I was 200km away from Brisbane.
“I grabbed my phone and managed to call the ambulance, just in time before I collapsed and was completely incapable of movement. By the time the paramedics arrived, I was utterly powerless. I couldn’t even call out to them; I could only groan – like a bloody dog.
“The paramedics took great care of me, loaded me onto a chopper, and I was flown from my home in Peranga to the hospital in Brisbane. Forty minutes after the chopper took off I was on the operating table getting a stent put in me.”
“I am forever in debt to everyone who got me there. I am unbelievably grateful.”
But as anyone who has ever experienced a heart attack can tell you, surgery is just the start of the heart recovery journey.
“It became clear pretty quickly how big a deal all the recovery care was going to be. If you live in the city, check-ups and recovery protocols are an enormous undertaking. But when you live out where I do, so far from specialist healthcare, it was almost impossible. And that’s before you factor in the PTSD.
“I tried to get follow-up care in my local town, but the specialists just aren’t there. My doctors told me I needed to be seen by a Cardiologist in Brisbane.
“I knew there was no way I was going to be able to do that. It’s hard to explain to someone who’s never had PTSD, but I just can’t do it. It’s not a choice. I just physically and mentally, can’t go.
“If the choice is between going to Brisbane for specialist care or dying, then I’m going to have to die.”
Fortunately, shortly into his recovery period, one of Skip’s doctors heard about the Heart Truck and arranged a referral.
“I got a referral from my doctor, and I rang up and made an appointment for the next week. I spoke to Kat on the Bookings team, and she took great care of me. She’s a gem. She was caring, and not at all patronising or condescending. The Bookings Team are great. Kat should give lessons to every receptionist in Australia on how to be kind and caring over the phone.
“Then, when I went to my appointment, I was blown away by the facilities on the truck. Having specialist medical doctors out in the bush is wonderful. But having a mobile clinic where doctors can function and perform as they would in a big city, that’s revolutionary.
“I had all the tests done right there on the truck, and then I was chatting with the doctor treating me, who was rather upbeat about what I had thought would be my impending doom, and gave me positive and practical directions.
I was telling him how I felt that the guy who started Heart of Australia should be given sainthood or an OBE. He then politely let me know that he was the founder of Heart of Australia. I was astonished because I thought it would have been someone much older. But we both laughed.
“For such a young Cardiologist to start an organisation like this is almost unbelievable. And the genuine caring and concern the whole team shows for people disadvantaged by their location still blows me away.”
“I tell anyone I talk to that Heart of Australia is crucial to rural communities. So many of us can’t be seen by specialist healthcare, for a whole range of reasons. It’s the reality of rural life. Leaving properties, work, and family commitments behind is challenging and for some of us just getting to the city impossible.
“For rural communities, Heart of Australia is life-changing and life-saving. I know first-hand because it was for me.
“Without Heart of Australia, I’d be dead.”
Thu,Mar,2020
Dear Staff, Patients, Visitors, Partners and Stakeholders,
Heart of Australia’s purpose and main ethos is to improve health outcomes and living conditions for all, ensuring that everyone has access to specialist medical services without having to travel long distances from their home.
As the unprecedented global COVID-19 pandemic outbreak continues we wanted to share with you some important information about the steps we’re taking to minimise the risk of exposure in our communities and what we are doing to keep both our staff and patients safe. Our greatest priority at this time is the health and safety of all our team members and our patients.
We have always made sure our facilities, trucks and clinics are clean and hygienic environments for everyone, and we are taking extra steps to ensure we continue having that during this time with the increased health concerns surrounding COVID-19.
These measures include increasing the frequency of cleaning and sanitisation on all our trucks and clinics, including high-touch areas such as handrails, counter surfaces and door handles and also providing access to hand sanitisers on-board our trucks and clinics. We are also advising our staff to wear facemasks and gloves until further notice for the safety and protection of all our patients and team members.
We are at this stage continuing with all our specialist clinics and we will be moving forward with our scheduled visits to the communities. We have however made the decision to cancel and not undertake any other activities and events for the rest of March, meaning we are having to cancel some planned GP Education Sessions and other community events we had scheduled for the month. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause anyone, but we believe this is the best course of action.
We are actively following the health and travel advice issued by the Australian Government, and ensuring our team is supported with clear health and hygiene protocols. We have also adopted a policy that provides information and support to all team members if they need to stay at home due to feeling unwell.
At Heart of Australia, we remain committed to supporting all our team members and patients throughout this time.
Thank you to all our loyal supporters for your continued support, please take care and stay safe.
Read full article here.
Mon,Mar,2020
For the last 20 years, Kelly Shann has been living on a rural cattle property that’s close to her soul. But not to specialist healthcare.
Kelly first heard about Heart of Australia through her doctor.
“After discovering an issue with my heart, my GP quickly helped me arrange an appointment with the Heart Truck. I have Cardiomyopathy, a genetic disease that requires twice-yearly check-ups with a Cardiologist.
Moranbah was the town closest to Kelly’s home on the Heart Truck route.
“With Moranbah being within driving distance, I didn’t even need to think about the logistics associated with travelling to Brisbane, which would have been the next closest place for treatment.
“Living and working on a cattle station makes it difficult and expensive to travel for health care. It would take at least a month to prepare to be away for just a few days. Not to mention the costs, time and everything else that goes into travelling to Brisbane.
“Heart of Australia being in Moranbah completely removed all that worry and expense.”
“I wasn’t sure what to expect on a mobile clinic, but I was blown away with the high levels of equipment, specialists, and professionalism on board.
“With the excellent treatment, state of the art equipment and the high calibre of doctors, there is simply no need to make the big trip into the city. The facilities that Heart of Australia provides are of such high quality that I couldn’t imagine anywhere doing it better. And to get this level of care in the bush is revolutionary.”
“Since starting my journey with Heart of Australia, my condition has improved significantly, and I feel fitter and healthier.”
As Kelly’s health improved she was able to turn her attention and some of her spare time to helping others within her community.
In 2019 Kelly played a leading role with the ‘Sisters of the North’ fundraiser. Kelly and her small team raised 1.4 Million dollars for those Queensland producers tragically struck by the 2019 monsoon.
“We created a system where affected people would receive an SMS code they could redeem at participating local stores. Allowing all the money to stay within those communities. We didn’t want to overlook any businesses, so it was up to the owners to join, and luckily a lot did.
Kelly also started making vlogs in which she interviews people who have faced extreme challenges, using the platform to share their inspiring stories.
“The work I am doing to support and elevate my community, including the fundraising and the vlogging, is only possible because of my good health. If my health was poor, I would struggle to do all the work required of me on the cattle station, let alone engage in the community work I do.
“Heart of Australia is keeping me healthy, and I’m glad to have the chance to pay it forward by supporting my community.”
We asked Kelly how important the Heart of Australia services is for rural Australians like herself.
“The specialist healthcare Heart of Australia provides is crucial, especially for elderly people in these rural towns. Unfortunately, as people grow older, being forced to move into the city for medical attention is something that regularly happens. I hope that the Heart of Australia trucks will limit the number of older people from being forced out of their community too soon. For many, the city is a place far from their family, friends and the life they have known. Having to leave that all behind to access the healthcare they need shouldn’t be the only option.”
In recognition of International Women’s Day, we asked Kelly what the date means to her.
“International Women’s Day is a day to recognise what women bring to our communities and families. It’s an important day to give acknowledgement to women right across the board, in both paid and unpaid roles.”
Fri,Feb,2020
Like so many Australians who work in health service delivery, Heart of Australia Driver, Greg Hiscock prefers to work quietly in the background and let the services speak for themselves.
“Everything we do is a team effort. The doctors, the crew on the trucks and the team in the office – we’re all working together. The drivers are a part of that team.”
A third-generation heavy-truck driver, Greg was in the process of looking for his next challenge, and a bit of a career change when he happened to see the Australian Story episode featuring Heart of Australia.
“I guess you could say I was born into truck driving. But after 45 years of driving, and spending the last 20 years in heavy haulage, carting equipment for the mining industry, I was looking for something a bit different to move into.”
“It was just luck I happened to see the Australian Story episode. As soon as it ended, I did a Google search and saw they were looking for drivers.
“I looked through the requirements for the role, and what it would involve, including being comfortable driving oversized vehicles, and being happy talking to people in the bush. Coming from Beaudesert, I love talking with country people. And I had lots of previous experience driving oversized vehicles. It was like this role was made for me.”
Greg applied for the job and was offered a position as one of Heart of Australia’s drivers.
“I’ve been here ever since.”
Greg says being a driver for Heart of Australia is unlike any other heavy truck driving job you’re likely to find.
“It’s not a flat-out drivers job – it’s so much more than that. You’ve got to have the experience to be able to drive the trucks, but there is so much more you get to do.
“To me, the Driver’s role is like being the captain of a cruise ship. I feel responsible for the wellbeing of everyone aboard. I do whatever needs doing to help keep the patients happy and comfortable and to ensure the doctors, the sonographers and the crew get what they need to do the best job possible.
“That means I’m whatever I need to be on any given day – a cook, a chauffeur, a greeter, a cleaner, a repairman or a gopher. And no two days are ever the same.”
“To do this job, you must be ready to try your hand at anything and everything. You’ve also got to be a people person that’s happy to mix and work closely with a team.
Greg says the role is a very social one.
“I work with a very vibrant team of people who I love being with. It’s definitely a team environment, top to bottom, and that starts with Dr Gomes. Everyone’s equal, and we all pull together to do whatever we have to, to deliver the service to the patients.”
“It’s also very social with the patients. Looking after them and talking to them is a big part of the job. It’s one of the best things about it. Country Queensland is right up my alley, out there everyone has a story.”
“Speaking to people from the country, and hearing their stories, you get to really understand how vital our service is to them. They’ll tell you straight – there’s a big difference between driving two-minutes down the road to the truck versus being away from home for two to three days for someone who’s not well.
Greg said another major perk for him was always knowing when he’ll be home.
“In my previous roles, it was never certain. I could be away for 5-7 weeks and not know when I’d be back. The way the rosters are written with Heart of Australia, there is always certainty. I really like knowing I’ll be home next Thursday.”
When asked what the best part of his job was, Greg said it was seeing the impact it has on people’s lives.
“A great example happened when we pulled the truck into Charleville. The doctor treated a woman that lived two minutes up the road from where we had set up our clinic.
“She had very swollen ankles and could hardly walk, however, because we were so close all it took was a little help from her grandson to get her seen. After seeing the cardiologist who treated her condition, she was back home in just a few minutes. If we weren’t there, she would have had to go all the way to Brisbane to get the same treatment.
“I’ve had patients yarn to me about the distance they used to have to travel before we came to town. A lot of them didn’t make those trips for help because of the distance. They just ‘battled through’ it.”
“And we’ve had moments where people have come onto the truck saying they aren’t feeling well, and the doctor has picked up they are having a heart attack right then.
“When things like that happen right in front of you, it hits home. That’s why we do it. If you save one life, that’s a big deal. And we’re saving lots more than one. That alone makes it all worth it, that’s how I know what we do is great”.
