Cockburn Ear Portal: An Ears, Nose and Throat (ENT) and Audiology referral portal for improving access to ear health services for Aboriginal children in metropolitan areas using telehealth
Cockburn Ear Portal: An ENT and Audiology referral portal to reduce time to assessment for ear health services for Aboriginal children in metropolitan areas using telehealth
Telethon Kids Institute
120 participants
Feb 26, 2020
Interventional
Conditions
Summary
Middle ear infections are a big problem for Aboriginal children, however the waiting time to access PCH specialists to manage these is over 2 years. The Ear Portal study aims to use telehealth technology to improve access to specialist ear health services at PCH for children in the Perth metropolitan region. We believe that the Ear Portal service will reduce waiting times to less than 4 weeks.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria4
- Aged between 0 and 18 years old.
- Are of Aboriginal descent
- Live within the greater metropolitan region of Perth (within a 60km radius)
- Have been screened and identified as having ear disease requiring referral as defined by; evidence of OM with effusion (OME) for >3 months; a history of 3 episodes of OM in the past 6 months; 4 episodes of OM in the past 12 months; or significant parental concerns regarding their child’s hearing or speech development.
Exclusion Criteria2
- Are a CAT 1 (urgent) referral. Treatment will be sought immediately for these children.
- The child’s legal representative (parent/guardian) is unwilling or unable to provide informed consent to participate.
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Interventions
Screening ear health assessments including medical history, otoscopy, tympanometry, audiometry and otoacoustics emissions testing appropriate for the child's age will be collected by the research assistant in the community during a single face to face visit. If the child has otitis media requiring assessment by ENT/Audiology at Perth Children's Hospital (PCH), a referral and the results will be transfered electronically to the PCH multidisciplinary team (MDT) consisting of an ENT doctor, audiologist, paediatrician and ENT clinical nurse specialist. If the child does not have otitis media requiring MDT assessment, they will be screenfailed from the study and appropriate further follow up arranged (e.g. discharge from care, follow up with GP etc.). The MDT will look at the results and develop an ear health care plan for the participant. The care plan may include further follow up ear health assessments (watching and waiting), prescribing antibiotics, referral for surgery etc. The ear health care plan will be sent back to the research assistant in the community for implementation with the participant as soon as possible. The participant has the option of a live video consultation with the MDT if they wish. All participating children will be receive the Ear Portal telehealth service. The time until assessment will be calculated from initial referral until Ear Portal telehealth assessment.
Locations(1)
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ACTRN12619000040167