The Minto Mapleton Family Health Team (MMFHT) wants to step up awareness about the benefits of the Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN).
Coordinators and health care providers gave a presentation at the Mapleton Community Health Centre in Drayton on Oct. 17.
OTN Waterloo Wellington Regional manager Vivian Henderson, OTN nurse Tracy Livingston (Mapleton) and OTN nurse Pam Turton (Minto) gave an overview of how the network connects frontline health care providers and their patients to health care specialists more efficiently.
Traditionally, when faced with issues beyond the health care provider’s expertise, patients are referred to a “specialist,” resulting in delays and inconvenience.
Wait times for appointments/consultations in the past have been lengthy, with patients sometimes waiting weeks to months to get an appointment and then, ultimately having to commute great distances to make appointments.
OTN streamlines this process by using innovative technology such as cameras and video conferencing. Health care providers can now consult with OTN specialists from their own office, meaning patients have the potential to receive instant care without even leaving the clinic.
Livingston and Turton explained if a patient comes in with a rash that a health care provider has difficulty identifying, a photo of the rash can be sent to an OTN specialist and a diagnosis and treatment plan can be in place before the patient even leaves the office.
The MMFHT is currently using OTN for several specialties including: dermatology, respirology, psychiatry, osteoporosis, diabetes education classes, back care education, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis education events, asthma education classes, smoking cessation and fibromyalgia classes.
The services range from individual consultations with specialists to group education classes. MMFHT has also had patients who have received a transplant connect by telemedicine with their specialist in the city (e.g. Toronto) for follow-up appointments.
Patients are welcome to ask their primary care provider if a visit with a specialist could be done via telemedicine, rather than travelling.
In addition to patient benefits, many of the MMFHT staff and other health care providers
participate in education sessions by telemedicine to further their knowledge in a particular clinical area.
Other specialties or services the MMFHT hopes to offer in the future through telemedicine are: pre-operative appointments for patients having surgery in larger centres, allergies, and cancer care.
“We know that more opportunities will come as our program matures,” said Shirley Borges, MMFHT executive director.
“We are doing a lot of great work with telemedicine in our rural areas such as Minto-Mapleton and Mount Forest and we offer several services through telemedicine that many urban areas have not either been interested in offering or haven’t realized the incredible value that telemedicine can make for patients in terms of timely and efficient access to services.
“I think it surprises some urban providers with how progressive and forward thinking we can be in rural areas.”
The program also has a positive impact on the environment.
Last year, 237 million kilometres of travel were avoided, reducing gas consumption and emissions.
