In this day and age, anyone who owns or uses a home computer with the free downloaded Skype program is able to have a video and audio connection across the world which allows the persons to be face-to-face via video link, providing a pre-arranged time has been set up to make the connection.
Recently one of our seniors was required to travel to the Okanagan to review their medical condition with a specialist. The trip required the senior to spend major dollars for gasoline, meals and the employ of a younger driver to drive the senior to the specialist.
If there is no hands-on touching of the patient and no tests scheduled to be administered, why is Interior health not asking for the use of the current video conferencing technology? Have the specialist doctor talk on video link to the patient to save the travel costs and the wear and tear on the patient who has already been weakend by many on-board medical issues.
In the Dawson Creek, specialist doctors from Edmonton are using the technology on a regular basis to follow up on the progress of patients who have had heart valve replacements. Should there be physical hands-on testing or actual medical testing required, this would rule out the use of video link. But simple visual and verbal discussions can be easily accomplished with video linking.
R.E Johnson
Nelson