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406 consults within the NORTH Network for the month of January! What a start to the new year!

The NW was certainly responsible for a huge chunk of that activity as evident by the enclosed activity log. Use of the equipment for meetings is quickly gaining popularity. In January, two new specialists joined the increasing number of Thunder Bay Regional Hospital physicians willing to offer their services using Telehealth. Tracy Saarinen has been brought onboard as a temporary half time coordinator at Thunder Bay Regional Hospital and this has given me much more opportunity to fulfill my role as regional coordinator.

Many activities are occurring!

• Successful cardiology, surgery, medical, neurology, psychiatry, dermatology, geriatric, rheumatology clinics have all occurred to the region
• A second international education opportunity occurred, this time to Israel
• A Thunder Bay patient has been asked to participate in a photo op for NORTH Network
• NW District Health Council requested an article giving an update on NW Telehealth
• Teleradiology seems to be progressing smoothly
• Professionals are calling Telehealth office to request educational topics, to schedule meetings and to request a block of time in which they can run clinics
• Meetings using video conferencing are increasing weekly (Air Ambulance, OR Nurses, Perinatology group, NOMP, Criticall and Eating disorder Team to name a few)
• Educational opportunities occur weekly and, at some points, daily (palliative care, psychiatry, geriatrics, to name a few). These are offered by UHN and local clinicians.
• New ABC Manual has been mailed to all sites

NW Telehealth sites look forward to February and increased activity. We look forward to the installation of the stethoscopes and to the new bridge installation. NORTH Network Telehealth is never static!

Laurie Sherrington
NW Regional Telehealth Coordinator