KOTH Participates in AFN Telehealth Strategy and Research Meeting
from http://telehealth.knet.ca
National Telehealth Working Group Meets to Discuss Telehealth Strategy
The Assembly of First Nations have identified Telehealth as a tool that can be utilized to address quality of life issues for First Nations people.
At the National Telehealth Strategy meeting held in Ottawa March 22 and 23, First Nations involved in Telehealth programs from across the country met to discuss how to support the AFN in delivering this message to governments and communities.
The importance of validating Telehealth's health benefits is required to ensure long term funding and sustainability of Telehealth programs. Priorites identified for research include: How is Telehealth impacting wait times? How is Telehealth impacting social outcomes and determinants of health issues? Quality of life issues as well as access and equity were discussed as health needs that are directly addressed through community based, First Nations directed Telehealth Programs.
KOTH presented an overview of the communtiy based model and told the stories of how the region is utilizing Telehealth to address disparities in health access for First Nations communities.
Future Initiatives include:
- Identify role for FNIHB, Province in sustaining Telehealth
- Develop Governance models for Telehealth (as opposed to having these parameters defined for us)
- Engaging provinces a priority – each province has an E Health strategy that looks at connectivity, e health and Telehealth - ensure First Nations included in these plans
- Facilitate National Implementation and Sustainability plan for Telehealth
- Identify research priorities to support sustainability