Teleaudiology equipment brings healthy hearing to Mount Isa
Thanks to Mount Isa Mines, teleaudiology testing equipment is now based at the Mount Isa Hospital, filling a fundamental gap in audiology health services in the North West Region. The equipment is available for use in hospitals across North Queensland and since its arrival in Mount Isa, it has also been used in Weipa and Bundaberg to help fill service gaps in those regions.
The teleaudiology equipment specifically targets early intervention of hearing loss in infants which can often go undiagnosed, causing development difficulties with speech, language and social skills.
Having the equipment based in Mount Isa means families of infants who do not pass their initial hearing screen no longer need to travel vast distances to seek specialist audiology services. Audiologists can conduct tests and control the specialised equipment remotely to diagnose any imminent issues and eliminate any delay in treatment.
Mount Isa Mines and The Children’s Hospital Foundation partnered together to bring the teleaudiology equipment to Mount Isa.
Diagnostic equipment sensors are positioned on infants to allow audiologists to run tests remotely. Specialist audiologists can talk with families to give an immediate diagnosis following testing.
Mount Isa Mines’ Health, Safety, Environment and Community (HSEC) Manager, Anne Williams says we are dedicated to supporting essential health services in the region.
“Having this equipment in Mount Isa means families can attend an appointment at Mount Isa Hospital to find out straight away how well their baby can hear,” Anne says.
“Reducing the delay and enabling families to remain close to their support networks will hopefully make things a little easier during a challenging and emotional time, particularly where significant hearing loss is diagnosed.”
“It’s heartwarming to know that we are making a real difference in the lives of people who live in our community.”