Telehealth
In order to access specialized care, residents of remote and rural areas are often forced to travel long distances, which can mean significant cost, inconvenience and, in some cases, aggravation of underlying medical conditions.
Canada Health Infoway's (Infoway's) Telehealth investment program supports jurisdictional projects that will give patients in remote communities better access to timely, relevant health care services. These improvements result from electronic solutions that facilitate the delivery of health information and services between patients and their authorized health care providers regardless of location.
Infoway's investment strategy will directly contribute to increased utilization and expansion of Telehealth services throughout Canada, with an emphasis on areas of need such as Aboriginal, official language minority, northern and remote communities.
The Investment
Investment has focused on the following dimensions:
- Geographic – programs that increase telehealth solutions coverage to northern, remote and rural communities.
- Cultural – programs that increase telehealth solutions coverage to Aboriginal (First Nations and Inuit) communities.
- Clinical – programs that provide innovative telemedicine (telepathology, teleopthalmology, teleoncology, telestroke etc.) and telehomecare solutions.
How will Canadians benefit?
- Telehealth initiatives will decrease the number of times Canadians travel to access medical services, saving time and reducing inconvenience and costs.
- Patients living in remote communities will increasingly be able to participate in their care without leaving their homes.
- Patients will have improved access to multidisciplinary care that would otherwise not be available without travelling to larger centres.
Success stories
Find out how the Telehealth investment program is improving the lives of Canadians:
Telehomecare in Ontario uses communications and information technology to provide care and monitoring for patients with chronic diseases. Read more
Patients living with congestive heart failure can use a home-based monitoring system to check their vital signs. Read more
Telehomecare in the Yukon uses a mobile data system, which can be brought to the patients’ home and access up-to-date electronic homecare records. Read more
Medical care in Nunavik is very different from the situation in southern Quebec. Because of the jurisdiction's vast distances, geographic isolation and its sparse population, specialized professional and technical medical resources are not always available. Read more
Visit the EHR Progress Map to read about specific Telehealth projects being developed in Canada.