A retrospective review of telehealth services for children referred to a paediatric nephrologist

BMC Nephrology

Table 2 Estimated costs of providing the paediatric telenephrology service by telemedicine and face-to-face consultations during a one-year period from January to December 2013 (63 consultations)

Cost	Telemedicine ($)	RCH Outpatients ($)
Telehealth coordinator ($38 per h), 33.33hrs^a	1,266	0
Specialist ($140 per h), 22.22hrs^b	3,111	3,111
Local admin support ($36 per h), 22.22hrs^c	0	800
Regional presenter (paediatrician/medical officer) ($140 per h), 22.22hrs^b	3,111	0
Regional admin support ($36 per h), 33.33hrs^b	1,200	0
Patient travel^d	0	29,294
Patient accommodation^d	0	7,320
Total Cost	8,688	40,525

^aUniversity of Queensland hourly rates were used at Level 6 [22]. An additional 50 % of time was added to the number of hours allocated to telehealth coordinator to account for clinic preparation, such as booking regional or remote videoconference sites
^bSpecialist/Paediatrician hourly rates were calculated using the Queensland Governments Industrial agreement at the highest pay level (L29), plus a loading of 35 % for additional benefits [23]
^cLocal administration support hourly rate was calculated using the Queensland Health industrial agreements for Queensland Government Industrial agreement at a Level 4 with 21 % on costs [24]
^dQueensland Health Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme [8]

ISSN: 1471-2369