Flying Doctor takes on Starlink for regional access

The Royal Flying Doctor Service in Queensland has directly partnered with Starlink to deploy a three-site regional satellite service to remote areas.

The RFDS Queensland digital infrastructure program manager Adam Carey said the satellite service is an extension to a wide area network, and extends coverage for crews delivering healthcare into the furthest corners of Queensland.

“Many of the locations where RFDS provides GP, nursing, mental health and dental services have no or limited internet or telecommunications coverage, so teams often need to work offline,” Carey said.

The first permanent device was installed in December on the roof of the Urandangi Health Clinic, which is serviced by RFDS’s Mount Isa-based crew.

The RFDS has also deployed a trial in Greenvale and will be deploying in Yowah soon. 

Carey states that the intention is to roll out the satellite system at RFDS clinic locations statewide in the coming months.

“Innovation has always been at the heart of the Flying Doctor and it’s incredibly exciting to have connectivity options we have never had before,” he said.

They are also assessing the use of Starlink for remote-locality patient transfer facilities and the RFDS Dental Service, which travels to rural and remote towns to provide dental care.

Carey told iTnews that Starlink had already been used by RFDS in the southern states, and has been used in clinical settings in the same way it is being deployed in Queensland.

“Although connectivity in southern states is generally much better and easier than in Queensland due to our geographical challenges, we feel the experience across our key community locations will help to set the benchmark for connectivity for rural and remote RFDS locations across the country,” he said.

Helen Murray, CIO for Queensland Health Rural and Remote, said the Department of Health and North West Hospital and Health Service welcomed the Urandangi connection.

“We look forward to the improvement in connectivity this initiative will provide to visiting clinicians such as those from our partners the Royal Flying Doctor Service,’’ Murray said.