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Air
Waves In Healthcare
This article was
published in The West End
Times June 4, 2011.
Imagine miles
away a physician listens to a student’s chest and diagnoses
asthmatic
bronchitis. The child has never left the school. The doctor has never
left his
office. The school nurse has information for the parents who do not
have to
take the child to the doctor. This is just example of a case in the
Berrien
School System in the US
pilot participation in a telemed program. The med clinic allows
students to see
a doctor while at school and the doctor is in his office. The med
clinic works
similar to a walk-in clinic but no one misses school or work. The child
is
called from class when it is his turn to see the doctor. Teachers,
faculty and
administration are all eligible to participate resulting in less time
off work
and better care. I won’t go in to all of the details but I think
you get the
picture.
There are
many
such initiatives here in Canada
but I still wait for the move in Quebec.
Isolated pockets of individuals seem to see the value and potential but
mostly
I just shake my head in wonder. I was recently at a conference on
“Nursing,
Information Technology and the Future” at the Jewish General
Hospital. I was
very impressed that they dedicated the day to Telehealth and the future
for
health care. It seems as if they are exploring options that seem
promising. One
Doctor presented and was happy to tell us about how he can call up an
X-ray of
his patients at the bedside. How good is that?? No more lost charts,
misplaced
reports, wasted time looking for things and all of this with the added
advantage of multiuser access to information.
Currently
in Ontario
there are three
large telehealth networks in operation, which provide clinical health
services
across the province. The three networks work collaboratively to
maximize the
use of resources and support over 80 clinical areas in over 200 sites.
None of
this seems like rocket science but it is a different way of providing
health
care for less money to more people and with better access to care. I
don’t get
it. What is with us here in Quebec?
As you may
know
I have conducted research using technology to remotely monitor people
with
chronic diseases. The results indicated that individuals learned about
their
disease and were therefore better able to manage their health. Although
the
results were striking, I cannot even give this service away. Am I wrong
to
believe that people want to be Healthy? After my recent experience with
the
health care system reinforced my belief that it is a SICK, sick care
system, I
still shake my head in disbelief. When will we ever learn? Monitoring,
education and prevention are the way to go.
I am
working
with one organization that wants to keep the residents healthy and
strong. It
is a residence for autonomous seniors “The Wellesley” here
on the West Island. Health Access and
a Quebec
technology company “Tele-Medic” are
working with the team there to provide monitoring and teaching using a
multiuser technology. Our nurse spends time at the Wellesley taking vital signs at our
kiosk.
Results of the monitoring can be viewed remotely. This project can
include
Electronic Health Records with the graphed and numeric results of the
resident’s
readings. It is possible for families and doctors to receive this
information.
I am convinced that this is the future and I am happy to see that the
leaders
at the Wellesley
have embarked on this pilot with us.
I will continue
to plug along, still convinced that we can have a better system, we can
be
healthier, we can save money. I would love to hear your health care
stories or
thoughts about how we are doing.
Thoughts,
comments, suggestions are always
welcome.
Contact
me at donna@ashcanada.com
Health Access, Home and Nursing care
514-695-3131
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