Care that comes to the bedside
Residential aged care homes supported with telehealth equipment, including 22 supplied directly and 15 funded to purchase their own
Residential aged care homes received on-site education to prepare for telehealth use, including Uralba Hostel
Uralba Hostel residents received speech therapy consultations via telehealth in a single day
Registered Nurse Ashleigh Berry and Uralba Manager Katie White with MPHN Digital Health Project Officer Shivaram Ravulwar alongside the mobile telehealth equipment used for in-room speech therapy consultations at Uralba Hostel in Gundagai.
For residents of Uralba Hostel in Gundagai, accessing specialist care may no longer require leaving the comfort and familiarity of home.
In May 2026, five residents received individual speech therapy consultations via telehealth, delivered directly to their rooms using purpose-designed mobile equipment funded by MPHN. The hostel initiative is part of MPHN’s broader work to build digital health capability across primary and aged care, using technology not simply for technology’s sake, but to make healthcare easier to access. It is just one in a series of 22 set-ups rolled out across the region.
The set-up can be wheeled to the bedside, reducing disruption for residents – particularly those with mobility or cognitive challenges – while providing greater privacy and confidentiality.
Making the technology available was only part of the solution for Uralba. Ahead of the consultations, MPHN Digital Health Project Officer Shivaram Ravulwar worked alongside staff, providing hands-on training in setting up and moving the equipment, managing sound and vision, creating consultations and supporting residents throughout appointments.
“The goal is to make telehealth feel like a normal part of care, not something stressful or unfamiliar,” Mr Ravulwar said. “When staff are confident using the technology, the focus shifts from the equipment to the conversation.”
Uralba Manager Katie White said practical support made a significant difference.
“The equipment is easy to move and set up, which means our residents can have their appointments comfortably in their own rooms, without the stress of being moved around.”
As Mr Ravulwar said: “It’s about using digital health in a way that fits the place and the people.”