Permanent ultrasound services launched at Chatham Islands Health Centre

The system allows routine scans with remote guidance from Christchurch Hospital.

Residents of the Chatham Islands now have access to permanent ultrasound services at the Chatham Islands Health Centre, according to New Zealand Health Minister Simeon Brown.

The system allows staff to perform routine scans for conditions such as gallstones, bladder issues, and deep vein thrombosis, with remote guidance from sonographers and doctors at Christchurch Hospital.

“In urgent cases, scan images are live-streamed to Christchurch, allowing medical teams to confirm diagnoses and prepare for patient transfers,” Brown added.

A live trial of the system was conducted recently with Christchurch Hospital’s intensive care and radiology teams in a simulated clinical environment.