Tele-Cardiac investigations for early diagnosis in rural Queensland

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the number one cause of death, with associated morbidity, disability and poor quality of life, resulting in high health care costs. Globally, rural populations are affected by this burden on a greater scale than their urban counterparts. 

There are numerous contributing factors to this inequality, with rural populations having higher rates of CVD risk factors including smoking, excessive drinking, hypertension, obesity and physical inactivity. Harsher environmental conditions, social isolation, difficulty sourcing fresh food and lower levels of education, income and employment also contribute. 

Driving this issue further is the lack of access that rural populations have to affordable health services, including diagnostic services. Rural areas have difficulty attracting and retaining health professionals, leading to a chronic shortage of physicians, dentists, pharmacists, and non-physician providers. 

Due to the scarcity of healthcare specialists and resources in rural areas, rural Australians must either seek healthcare in regional or metropolitan cities, travelling large distances resulting in social dislocation, or forego treatment.