Is telehealth – health-care delivered using communications
technology – a solution to shortages of health professionals?
This is one of the questions to be discussed at a conference
called e-Health Care: What Constitutes Return on Investment,
hosted by the Canadian Society of Telehealth (CST) and organized
by the University of British Columbia Division of Continuing
Medical Education. The conference takes place Oct. 3-5 at
the Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel.
"This type of technology allows UBC to train physicians
and help researchers worldwide share information," says
UBC President Martha Piper, who will speak at the opening
ceremonies. "It holds enormous promise to improve health
care by removing communication boundaries."
Comprising telephone, computer, videoconferencing and other
communication technologies, telehealth can eliminate distance
barriers by adding to existing services and offering new ones,
says CST president Dr. Bob Filler.
Conference presenters will discuss topics such as national
and global applications of telehealth as well as return on
investment of the service.
Other conference speakers include The Hon. Colin Hansen,
B.C.’s Minister of Health Services; The Hon. Stephen Owen,
Secretary of State, Western Economic Diversification, Indian
Affairs and Northern Development.
Telehealth services that originate from UBC’s Point Grey
campus, Vancouver Hospital and Children’s and Women’s Health
Centre of B.C. offer psychiatric care, pediatric service,
emergency and trauma services and continuing health education
to rural locations.
Conference information can be found at http://www.cst-sct.org/conference.php.
UBC’s Division of Continuing Medical Education serves B.C.
practicing physicians with courses, community hospital programs,
teleconferences and clinical traineeships.
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