Gidgee Healing is partnering with Heart of Australia to provide heart healthcare services to the communities of Mount Isa, Mornington Island, Normanton, and Doomadgee.
The collaboration aims to make heart care more accessible by offering essential mobile heart care and specialist services directly in these communities.
The introduction of the mobile heart health truck and clinics will enhance access to heart healthcare by providing services such as disease diagnosis, surveillance of existing conditions, specialist consultations, and, when necessary, referrals for surgery.
The initiative will reduce the burden on at-risk patients who would otherwise have to travel long distances to access heart specialists. Gidgee Healing said it aligns to their commitment to narrowing the health equity gap for remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Gidgee Healing chief executive Cherrie Glasson said: "At Gidgee Healing, we listen to community and are offering this heart health service in response to direct feedback from community about a more accessible and culturally responsive service."
"By partnering with Heart of Australia, we can deliver heart and specialist health care services to the doorstep of those who need them most."
Heart of Australia operates a 34-wheel B-double road train that transports its specially designed medical clinic-on-wheels.
The mobile clinic is manned by specialists and equipped with the necessary testing equipment for cardiologists to assess heart function.
Patients visiting the clinic will undergo scans and examinations to diagnose or monitor various heart conditions, including Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) and other cardiac ailments.
Last week, a Heart of Australia truck was stationed in Mount Isa, while a specialist team concurrently visited Mornington Island.
Gidgee Healing chief medical officer Dr Vlad Matic emphasised the importance of proactive heart health in the community.
"Heart disease, like many diseases has better outcomes the earlier it is detected and treated," he said.
"By bringing specialist heart assessment and treatment services directly to community in a
one-stop-shop model, we give people greater control of their heart health."
"It was great to see the community come to the Heart Truck in Mount Isa and visit the team at the Mornington Island Gidgee Healing Clinic to receive care."
Heart of Australia founder, director, and cardiologist Dr Rolf Gomes said: "We were thrilled to be in Mount Isa and on Mornington Island last week delivering specialist cardiac healthcare services and testing to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities."
"We are incredibly proud to be helping address the imbalance of access to high-quality healthcare among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and we're pleased to be making inroads in this space," he said.
More information about the Gidgee Healing's Heart programs and upcoming clinic dates and locations as available online.