News Release Archive
HEALTH--TELEMEDICINE INCREASES
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Telemedicine -- a new leading edge healthcare
telecommunications technology -- is coming to Nova Scotia as
a pilot project to improve healthcare services to residents
outside the Metro area.
Using advanced telecommunications technology, Telemedicine
will give residents of Nova Scotia greater access to
healthcare services from specialists. Patients will be able
to receive immediate high-level, on-site healthcare without
having to leave their community.
The Telemedicine pilot is the Department of Health's newest
health reform initiative to increase community-based
healthcare services outside the Metro area. It is a new,
efficient and cost-effective telecommunications system with
the capability to deliver healthcare services 24 hours per
day, seven days a week.
A unique component to Telemedicine is its capability to
provide rural physicians with greater access to interactive
continuing medical education. The pilot project will
concentrate on radiology (X-ray) applications although
Telemedicine can be applied to many other specialties.
"Telemedicine is a tremendous addition to this government's
health reform plan," said Health Minister Ron Stewart. "The
Telemedicine pilot project we implement will be one of the
most comprehensive in Canada. It will include interactive
audio and visual capabilities as well as providing a
resource for continuing medical education."
Telemedicine employs computer-based telecommunications
technology to transmit medical data and video images between
physicians at two or more locations. It also has interactive
audio capabilities. Telemedicine transfers information
between the remote site -- facilities with limited medical
resources -- and the specialist consulting site
-- facilities with greater medical resources. It can be
integrated into existing computer systems and telephone line
infrastructures.
Guysborough, Sheet Harbour and North Sydney are the remote
sites for the Telemedicine pilot project. The specialist
consulting site will be the Queen Elizabeth II Health
Sciences Centre. Dalhousie University and Cape Breton
Regional Hospital will participate in the continuing medical
education part of the project.
A key feature of Telemedicine is a teleradiology
application, or the transmission of x-rays from a remote
site. The prompt interpretation of x-rays will be possible.
In emergency cases, for example, physicians can forward x-rays
to the referring centre prior to the patient's arrival
to improve patient care.
Primary care physicians using Telemedicine will have easy
access to specialists without the patients having to travel
to other healthcare facilities. Videoconferencing will be
used to consult with a specialist and retrieve up-to-date
patient information. Video photos of a patient can be taken
and transmitted for discussion as well as facsimiles.
Information about the patient can be recorded for future
reference and review.
The Telemedicine pilot project will work in conjunction with
the physician recruitment program already under way to help
retain physicians in rural areas. It opens new opportunities
for professional interaction, consultation and backup
support. With Telemedicine, all physicians have equal access
to continuing medical education regardless of where they are
practicing and where the instructor is based.
The tender for the Telemedicine pilot project was awarded to
TecKnowledge Healthcare Systems Inc. -- a Nova Scotia based
healthcare technology consulting firm. The total amount of
the tender is approximately $480,000.
"We are very pleased with the opportunity to demonstrate how
Telemedicine can benefit Nova Scotians," said Dorothy
Spence, vice president, business and marketing, TecKnowledge
Healthcare Systems Inc. "Its diverse applications will help
to ensure everyone has equal access to quality healthcare
services."
The Nova Scotia Department of Health and TecKnowledge will
work in partnership with MT&T, Dalhousie University, Cape
Breton Regional Hospital, the QE II Radiology group and the
Medical Society of Nova Scotia to effectively implement the
Telemedicine pilot project.
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Contact: Sue McKeage 902-424-3581
NOTE TO EDITORS: Backgrounder available by calling
1-800-670-4357 or 902-424-4492.
trp Nov. 01, 1995
