Imagine visiting a doctor by going to the nursing station and seeing them on a special television screen. First Nations communities in the Sioux Lookout Zone in Northwestern Ontario have been accessing health care services utilizing the KO Telehealth Network for over three years.
Community members are able to meet with heart specialists, bone specialists, diabetes educators, cancer care, paediatricians, psychiatrists and many other health professionals from larger centres to access medical care. In addition to offering clinical consults, KO Telehealth offers numerous education sessions specific to health care providers working in First Nations communities. Education sessions on topics such as mental health, diabetes, palliative care, and chronic diseases are just some of the topics offered to the remote communities. In addition to the 13 First Nations communities currently participating in the KO Telehealth Network, KO Telehealth Network is pleased to be expanding Telehealth services to another 11 communities to a total of 24 remote First Nations communities with access to comprehensive Telehealth services.
The demonstration will show how KO Telehealth is used by patients to meet with health professionals over large distances. These connections are made possible through the Northern Indigenous Community Satellite Network. It will offer a live demonstration of the capabilities of Telehealth, including peripheral equipment available such as the ENT scope, patient exam camera and a stethoscope.
The presenters will seek feedback from community representatives on Telehealth as a vehicle for health care delivery, and will field questions and answers.
|
