Media.Knet.Ca

Industry Canada officials meet with KO Executive Director and Public Works Manager via video conference.

Allan Anderson, Industry Canada's Regional Director of Information Technlogy and Applications for Ontario and Carl Seibel, FedNor's Telecommunications Officer toured the offices of KO Reseach Institute in Thunder Bay. They were briefed about some ICT research projects by Nicole Morris and Wesley McKay, two summer students working for KO this summer.

The two IC officials inspected the new high speed wireless service (100Mb to the KO office) in Thunder Bay and participated in a videoconference with KO's Geordi Kakepetum, Peter Campbell and Brian Walmark. Allan Anderson told Geordi Kakepetum that First Nations connectivity remains a top priority in this year's budget. Too see additional photos, click here.

Carl is guiding Allan through Northwestern Ontario and will be in Sioux Lookout for meetings with staff of KNET Services. Here they are visiting Wabigoon First Nation to see the installation of the two-way satellite internet service by KO staff as part of the First Nation SchoolNet / RMO initiative.

Allan and Carl are travelling up to Sioux Lookout to visit KO's K-Net Services later today. Tomorrow they will be visiting Lac Seul First Nation to see their wireless network that is under construction to serve their three communities.

Webequie First Nation

9th Annual Neebin-o-damin-owin (Summer Festival)

August 23 - 28, 2004

(Hosted By: Webequie Education Authority)

Daily Main Events & Activities throughout the week, including:

• Daily Bingos:
• Friday, Aug.27/04 - $10,000.00
• Saturday, Aug. 28/04 -$30,000.00 Jackpot
• Daily Raffle Draws throughout the week
• Cookout, Bar-B-Q
• Dance Contests Nightly - Square Dance & Dance Mix
• Daily Poker Derby
• Talent Nights & Comedy Shows
• Daily Coupon & Elimination Draws
• Main Raffle Draw - Ski-doo w/Sleigh

Live Concert Performance by: Kenny Shieds & STREETHEART (Friday, August 27, 2004) - Please call us for concert ticket info.

For Further Information:

Please call the Head Office:

• Tel #: (807) 353-9942, 353-5205, 353-5209
• Fax #: (807) 353-9966
• Ennis Jacob - H: 353-1443 or
• Laura Shewaybick H: 353-1434

* Note: If you plan to come to Webequie for our festival please do not forget to bring your sleeping bags, mattresses, personal gear. Also, please fax in your names in so we can try to provide you accommodations.

From the KO Telehealth news item ...

"KO Telehealth is pleased to provide the July 2004 Report for stakeholders and partners. July brought three new communities onto the Telehealth services. The Community Telehealth Coordinators (CTC's) in Kasabonika, North Caribou Lake and Big Trout Lake were anxious to access the equipment in order to start their application training on the iDoc cart. The CTC's are trained in their home communities via the KNet and NORTH Network over the secure data encrypted line to provide confidentiality for patients accessing health care."

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Ontario government investment in telemedicine brings health care to northern Ontarians - Investment Supports NORTH Network

KENORA, ON, Aug. 9 /CNW/ - The McGuinty government is improving health care in northern Ontario by investing $5.7 million in telemedicine technology to deliver health services to more northern communities, Minister of Health and Long Term Care, George Smitherman, announced today.

"Telemedicine is proof of the power of technology in delivering quality health care over vast distances," said Smitherman. "This investment in NORTH Network will enable thousands of northern Ontarians to receive care in their own communities instead of having to travel away from their homes and families."

The NORTH Network provides telemedicine services in northern and central Ontario and supports over 100 sites, including 65 hospitals, 11 nursing stations and three regional cancer centres. NORTH Network delivers a wide range of health services in areas such as psychiatry, dermatology, cardiology, neurology, burn management, paediatrics, and geriatrics.

Telemedicine uses video-conferencing telecommunications and digital technology, including electronic stethoscopes, to virtually connect patients to health professionals. There have been over 5,300 medical consultations through NORTH Network so far in 2004, compared to a total of 5,100 in 2003.

"It's gratifying to know that telemedicine is acknowledged as part of the creative solution to the transformation of health care in Ontario," says   Dr. Ed Brown, Executive Director, NORTH Network. "NORTH Network is pleased to continue to work with our many partners towards the integration of this technology into mainstream health care delivery for Ontarians."

"Our government is changing health care by bringing care to all Ontarians as close to home as possible," said Rick Bartolucci, Minister of Northern Development and Mines. "NORTH Network is one way we are achieving this commitment and improving the health and quality of life of northern
Ontarians."

Telemedicine reduces wait times for health services. Patients wait less than two weeks for telemedicine appointments through NORTH Network, compared to waiting five weeks for out-of-town consultations with specialists.

"Telemedicine is attracting health professionals to practice in rural and underserviced areas because it transports the clinical and educational expertise of teaching hospitals to even the most remote communities," said Smitherman.

"This announcement is important news for people living in northern Ontario who experience barriers accessing health care, said Chief Charles Fox, Head of Chiefs of Ontario. "It's one more step towards creating a health care system that responds to community needs, and is available to all."

This news release is available on our website at: http://www.health.gov.on.ca

BACKGROUNDER

PROVIDING TELEMEDICINE SERVICES TO RESIDENTS OF NORTHERN ONTARIO

The Northern Ontario Remote Telecommunication Health (NORTH) Network is one of three telemedicine networks in Ontario using technology to improve access to care. The province is providing $8 million in funding for the three networks in 2004/05 including $5.7 million to NORTH Network.

NORTH Network currently links over 100 sites, mostly in the North, including 65 hospitals, 11 nursing stations and three regional cancer centres. The network will be expanded to 50 more sites in 2004/05. It is the largest telemedicine network in the province linking remote northern communities to specialists and hospitals in Thunder Bay, Sudbury and in the southern Ontario.

Earlier this year, the NORTH Network celebrated its 10,000th  telemedicine consultation and the total is now 14,700. NORTH Network has made possible 5,355 medical consultations so far this year, compared to a total of 5,164 in 2003. Patients wait less than two weeks for a telemedicine appointment through NORTH Network whereas they may have to wait five weeks or more for an out of town, face-to-face appointment with a medical professional.

In addition to reducing waiting times for northern patients, NORTH Network is also helping to reduce the costs associated with travel for medical services. Over the last two years, the average cost for a telemedicine consultation was just under $11 compared to over $290 for each patient to travel out of town to see a specialist. This made possible savings totalling $1.26 million to the Northern Health Travel Grant program between April 2001 and March 2003.

NORTH Network supports consultations in 70 medical specialties including cardiology, burn management, dermatology, general surgery and internal medicine. Seventy-five per cent of telemedicine service activity involves patient services with the remainder being used for consultations between health professionals and training purposes. There have been over 1600 educational sessions, courses and conferences held over the Network facilities since October 2002.

There are two other telemedicine initiatives serving Ontarians-VideoCare and CareConnect. VideoCare provides services in southwestern Ontario at 45 hospital sites, two regional cancer care centres and three family medical centres while CareConnect serves eastern Ontario with links to 36 hospitals.

Via telemedicine, a health professional is "transported" to a patient at a distant health care facility using satellite video technology. Using this video link, and special medical instruments such as electronic stethoscopes or special cameras, the physician can assess patients as if they were in the same office.

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For further information: Members of the media: Eva Lannon, Minister's Office, (416) 327-4320; Dan Strasbourg, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, (416) 314-6197; Members of the general public: (416) 327-4327, or (800) 268-1154