- Author UQ Centre for Online Health
- Publish date 10 December 2025
- Type Report
- Documents
- Health service delivery
- Education
Summary
This final report presents the outcomes of the CRCNA-funded telehealth services program delivered by the University of Queensland’s Centre for Online Health between 2023 and 2025. The project aimed to strengthen the capability of healthcare providers across northern Australia to deliver mental health services and to expand the use of telehealth in regional and remote health systems.
Using the Project ECHO tele-mentoring model, the program connected regional clinicians with specialist mentors through regular online learning sessions and case-based discussions. Two dedicated programs were delivered: Health eMinds ECHO, focused on mental health and wellbeing, and Telehealth Skills ECHO, focused on practical telehealth implementation. These were supported by in-person and virtual training workshops, site visits and engagement with national telehealth conferences.
Across the three-year program, 47 ECHO sessions and nine telehealth training workshops were delivered, engaging more than 1,500 health professionals from across northern Australia and beyond. Participants reported improved skills, increased confidence in delivering telehealth-enabled care and stronger professional networks that helped reduce the sense of isolation experienced by many rural and remote practitioners.
The program also demonstrated significant economic benefits. Delivering education through the ECHO model avoided substantial travel and conference costs, generating estimated savings of between $3.6 million and $12.9 million compared with delivering equivalent training in person. Additional savings were realised through locally delivered telehealth skills workshops.
Overall, the project has strengthened telehealth capability, improved access to specialist knowledge and enhanced collaboration across health services in northern Australia. The report highlights the value of tele-mentoring models for building a more connected, confident and sustainable regional health workforce.
Projects
Digital Health Course – Project ECHO: Health eMinds and Telehealth Skills
Access to specialist healthcare and ongoing professional support can be challenging for clinicians working in rural and remote communities. This project strengthened the capability of healthcare providers across northern Australia by delivering telehealth training, specialist mentoring and mental health education through the Project ECHO model. Delivered by the University of Queensland Centre for Online Health in partnership with the North Queensland Primary Health Network, the project connected regional health professionals with subject matter experts through regular virtual learning sessions, case discussions and peer-to-peer knowledge sharing. Two dedicated ECHO programs were established: Health eMinds ECHO, focused on mental health and wellbeing, and Telehealth Skills ECHO, focused on building practical telehealth capability. These programs were complemented by telehealth workshops, site visits and conference engagement activities. Over three years, the project delivered 47 ECHO sessions and nine telehealth training workshops, reaching more than 1,500 participants from across northern Australia and beyond. Participants reported increased confidence in delivering telehealth services, improved mental health knowledge and stronger professional networks. The project also helped reduce professional isolation among regional health workers and supported greater access to specialist support for rural and remote communities. The project demonstrated that tele-mentoring and virtual education can be an effective and cost-efficient way to strengthen the regional health workforce, improve access to care and support better health outcomes across northern Australia. Key outcomes Increased workforce capability and confidence in delivering telehealth services. Improved access to mental health education, mentoring and specialist support. Reduced professional isolation among regional and remote health professionals. Strengthened collaboration and knowledge sharing across healthcare services. Improved access to care for patients in rural and remote communities Resources To access participant resources for past sessions visit: Health eMinds participant resources –https://uqecho.org/healtheminds-echo/ Telehealth Skills participant resources – https://uqecho.org/telehealthskills-echo/ For more information contact the UQ Centre for Online Health team via email healthemindsecho@uq.edu.au or telehealthskillsecho@uq.edu.au