Genetic counselling is usually relatively easy, involving just a few brief consultations with a specialist. But Larade, 55, lives in Port Alice. That would mean a minimum 14 hours travelling to and from Victoria, at least a two-day trip.
Instead, Larade was one of the first in Port Alice to have a session with a genetics counsellor at the Vancouver Island Cancer Centre via a video link.
Larade simply showed up at the Port Alice Health Clinic, and was shown to a private room.
"I just went in and sat down in a room by myself and yakked with the people on video," said Larade. "I just sat in a nice, comfy chair and talked like they were in the room.
"It doesn't even seem like there was any delay on it at all. They were answering immediately upon my questions and stuff. Everything seemed to be immediate."
The video conference was made possible by Vancouver Island Health Authority's Telehealth service. With Telehealth, hospitals, community clinics or health stations are fitted with a private room where an examination or consultation can be conducted remotely, either alone or with the assistance of a nurse.
Fifteen communities have the service-- Alert Bay, Campbell River, Comox, Duncan, Gold River, Nanaimo, Parksville, Port Alberni, Port Alice, Port Hardy, Port McNeil, Saltspring Island, Sointula, Tofino and Victoria. Zeballos, Ahousaht and Bamfield are being considered for it.
Telehealth recently became the first such program in B.C. to be recognized by Accreditation Canada, which assesses health services.
An indicator of the importance being placed on Telehealth is the fact every floor in Royal Jubilee Hospital's new patient care tower has a room for the program, allowing consultations with doctors and specialists in other cities.
When patients have a Telehealth consultation they face a screen and a camera. The camera conveys the patient's image to the consulting doctor or medical specialist in a bigger centre, like Victoria, and the screen provides the image of the doctor to the patient.
Comparing it with an Internet service such as Skype would be to underestimate the performance capabilities of Telehealth.
The images are high-resolution and are transmitted without time lags. Examination camera equipment can be used by a nurse. This includes a specialized camera that can be applied to the skin for a high-definition view, for instance, of a mole. Another device can focus a camera down the throat or in the ear.
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Quelle/Source: Canada, 20.05.2011
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