Summary
Dial-a-Dizzy service is giving Rockhampton Hospital patients access to specialised vestibular advice through the state’s vestibular experts at Logan Hospital in Metro South Hospital and Health Service.
Amanda Sumner is one of the physiotherapists in Rockhampton Hospital’s Emergency Department, and she was involved in the Dial a Dizzy pilot program when she worked at Mount Isa Hospital. Rockhampton joined the program in 2023, around the time Amanda started work here.
The program is a telehealth diagnostic advisory hotline that can guide clinicians through the management of emergent vertigo. It uses technology called a Vesticam, essentially infra-red video goggles that can record and make vision available on an online portal for experts at Logan to review.
The diagnosis of vertigo can be tricky, and involves assessing differences in eye movements, which can be very subtle. Images from the Vesticam are invaluable.
Dizziness can be caused by many things, including vertigo, which may be the result of a benign inner ear problem, or something more concerning like a stroke.
The expert team at Logan can review the Vesticam footage and make a report.
“It’s really helpful to have that back-up,” Amanda said. “It means not doing unnecessary MRIs, but also not missing a stroke, which requires urgent management.
“The beauty of this is if it’s a certain type of vertigo called BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo), we can do one treatment manoeuvre and that immediately stops the vertigo. It’s like a magic trick really.”
Vertigo can be debilitating and needs proper assessment to get the right treatment. It can be a real problem, especially for seniors who are put at an even greater falls risk which can lead to further problems.
Amanda has been a physiotherapist for 16 years, and she fell into vestibular physiotherapy some 14 years ago when she went to a course and never looked back.
Vestibular physiotherapy is a developing area of practice which receives little coverage in the undergraduate degree, but it’s expertise she now uses at least once a day in Rockhampton ED.
“We see more and more of it and are often called on for vestibular assessment to assist in a dizziness work-up. The Dial-a-Dizzy service gives us more confidence in diagnosis.”
It’s another example of the great use of technology to help regional staff help their patients get the care they need where and when they need it.