Project: Yukon Telehealth

Canada Health Infostructure Partnerships Program

Synopsis

The Yukon government is faced with many challenges in delivering healthcare services in remote Northern communities. Challenges include the restricted and expensive access to specialist services, difficulties in meeting the health needs of Yukon First Nations and non First nations close to home, difficulties in the recruitment and retention of health care providers, and professional isolation.

The Yukon Telehealth Project established a telehealth information and services network in nine Yukon communities. These communities were equipped with video conferencing workstations, digital cameras, and hardware with X-ray store and forward capabilities.

Outcomes

Outcomes from The Yukon Telehealth Project include:

• The delivery of the following telehealth services and programs to nine communities:
  
  
  • Tele-mental health
  • Tele-learning
  • X-ray emergency support
  • Tele-family visits
  • Early Childhood Development Services
  • Therapy Services
  • Discharge Planning
• Upgrading of the underlying telecommunications infrastructure to each community;
• The utilization of the tele-learning application as a change management tool to familiarize users with the technology, build early successes and promote professional and public support for and acceptance of the technology;
• The utilization of H.323 protocols on terrestrial frame relay and satellite frame relay networks; and
• Development of a telehealth logic model.

Policy Implications

• The practice of pre-assessment of clients via telehealth prior to the approval of travel to see a specialist.

Research Implications

• Development of an evaluation tool that will assist in defining the best practice for using videoconferencing for education purposes;
• Research on the identification of assessment and intervention skill sets that require modification to maximize the clinical effectiveness in a televideoconferencing environment;
• Identification of the factors which influence the integration of televideoconferencing with a clinical practice; and
• Research into knowledge exchange and technology transfer specific to telehealth.

Lessons Learned

• Given the difficulty of public consultation in the requirements and readiness assessment process, sometimes an experimental approach is more appropriate;
• Keep technology options open - consider leasing as an option in the short term; and
• Integration into the existing health service delivery system: inter-agency cooperation and sharing of network resources are essential for the future success of the network.

The Future

Videoconferencing is a tool to assist in providing comprehensive sustainable health care to Yukon communities. Building upon the successes of the past eighteen months, the Yukon Telehealth Network is in the process of moving from the project phase to a program phase. All stakeholders interviewed expressed their support for the continuation of the project after the termination of CHIPP funding. The expansion of the project to additional sites, specifically to the least serviced areas, and the expansion of technologies and services was also suggested.

Appendix A: Documents or Products Generated

Document/Product Name

Telehealth Equipment RFP

Telehealth Evaluation RFP

User Guide and/or Training Manual

• Tandberg 800 User Manual
• Tandberg 1000 User Manual
• Whitehorse Manual

Template for Equipment Testing

• Network Test Plan
• MCU Testing

Policy and Procedure Manual

• Whitehorse Manual
• Tandberg 800 User Manual
• Tandberg 1000 User Manual

Job Descriptions

Clinical Training Protocols

• Whitehorse Manual

Clinical Program Protocols

• Whitehorse Manual

Video Conference Protocols And Etiquette Guide

• Whitehorse Manual

Quality Assurance Procedures

• Whitehorse Manual

Data Collection Tool

• Statistical Gathering Tools

Telehealth Logic Model

• Included in evaluation Report

For more information, please contact:

Joy Kajiwara at joy.kajiwara@gov.yk.ca or at (867) 667-8325