Over the Phone you say?

Health care over the phone... how does that work?

Telehealth has changed the accessibility of health care for many in our country. As technology has advanced, innovative ways to access health care have been popping up. It may seem a little "out there" to think that you can access health care over a telephone, but many provinces have implemented the idea, and they are not loosing on the deal. Manitoba, BC, and Alberta are but a few who offer this service. New Brunswick does as well. Instead of taking a child to the emergency department at night for some reassurance and advise on managing a health issue, access to a registered nurse is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If further intervention is required advice will be given over the phone as to which facility to access.

After surgery, many patients are able to have follow up appointments in their home. Particularly if they are a distance form the health center. This is an issue for much of Canada given our geographical issues. Savings in time, challenges with accessibility, and consistency can be overcome with a little help from a web cam, phone line, and a laptop.

There are other benefits to the telehealth way of delivering care- reduced visits to emergency departments, decreased wait times, efficient care, patient comfort, reassurance to the public, decreased costs. For those who are far away from a heath center can the costs really be measured? To know that reliable safe effective health care is a call away must provide some comfort to those in isolation.

A communication system that gets the right people at the right place at the right time can make the difference between life and death. If you ever find yourself questioning if you should see a doctor, if you are managing an issue that you would like some guidance on, or need some reassurance, look for your provincial provider. They are a call away!