Got a telemedicine idea? Tell us more…

You know that expression, “You don’t ask, you don’t get?” This is your chance to ask and at the same time showcase your bright ideas for advancing patient care using telemedicine.

Think about this…

  • Do you have an idea to help reduce demand on acute care through the use of existing or new technology?
  • Are you interested in exploring potential uses of telemedicine to support new models of care and make a positive impact on the healthcare system?

If yes, consider this your official “Call for expressions of interest in telemedicine”… a fancy way of saying send us an email and tell us more! You’ll see details below on how to do that.

Why this? Why now?

VCH has a reputation for trying new things. Over the past 15 years, we’ve built up a culture of innovation; we’re known for ground-breaking research, clinical firsts, and bringing technology to the bedside, all to the benefit of patient care and a stronger health system overall.

We’ve come to appreciate that the next good idea can come from any direction, but the ones that stem from frontlines, from the staff and physicians who feel the “gaps” the most, are often the most valuable.

Naturally there are some obvious limitations – like constraints around new buildings and the necessity of living within budgets – but as the VCH region grows and evolves, so too must our service delivery models. We think a big opportunity for doing more or doing better by our patients lies in Telemedicine, but at the same time we want to be smart and focus on ideas in this area that will actually make a difference.

Here’s how you do it

Submit an Expression of Interest to innovation@vch.ca to the VCH Innovation Development & Early-Stage Accelerator (IDEA) program. We’ll follow up with everyone, but preference will be given to solution-oriented ideas that address identified gaps in care, especially those impacting rural and remote areas and low socio-economic groups. We look forward to hearing from you!

What is telemedicine?

Telemedicine is the use of telecommunication and information technology to provide clinical health care from a distance, helping eliminate barriers and improve access to medical services. Telemedicine also mitigates distance barriers by improving access to medical services that would often not be consistently available in rural communities. We are looking for individuals and groups interested in using telemedicine in their clinical practices as the means to enhance quality care and promote greater patient independence and self-care. To submit your IDEA or for more information please contact innovation@vch.ca

  1. Janice Sampson, RN, BScN, IBCLC

    the WHO organizaion promotes breastfeeding as the primary source of nutrition durin gthe first 6 months of life with many benefits cited for mothers, infants, communities and socieity. With the move toward being “Baby Friendly” there is recent interest in the treatment of Ankyloglossia and Maxillary Lip tie when they affect breastfeeding.
    The CADTH Rapid Response Report (June 2016) support the use of frenotomy when indicated and by trained health professionals noting that it appears to be safe and may confer benefit tot the mother and baby and likley has a positive impact on breastfeeding effectiveness in the short term.
    Management of TT and ULT require multidisciplinary support by traned health care professionals including medical doctors, dentists, lactation consultants, hospital and public health nurses and potentially Occupational Therapists etc.
    BF assessment and management, simple release of TT and ULT, and appropriate follow up care should be available to everyone in all communities – however this is often not the case requiring delay in treatment and travel in order to have this condition appropriately dealt with. when more complext intervention such as Zplasty is required travel may be necessary.

    November 30, 2016