Telemedicine

The focus of the Ontario Telemedicine Network (now OTN) is to provide a full range of clinical consultation services along the continuum of care from pediatric to cardiac acute care, to complex continuing care, and palliative care to 20 hospitals in Eastern Ontario through the application of telecommunications technology.

Pembroke Regional Hospital is 1 of 9 designated stroke centres in Ontario that are using telehealth to connect stroke patients with neurologists.   For stroke patients who arrive within 3 hours of their first stroke symptom a neurologist at the Ottawa Hospital is on-call to assess the stroke patient and look at their head CT scan.  Stroke is a medical emergency and “Time is Brain”.

The Pembroke Regional Hospital also works closely with The University of Ottawa Heart Institute for cardiac care clinics.  One of the unique items of technology in use is an integrated electronic stethoscope which permits ‘real-time’ transmission of heart sounds facilitating a quick response in cardiac situations when time is of the essence.

The Pembroke Regional Hospital and the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) are partnered to provide pediatric clinical services to CHEO’s patients and families residing in the Pembroke area.

The Pembroke Regional Hospital partners as well with the Deep River and District Hospital, Renfrew Victoria Hospital, St. Francis Memorial Hospital, Queensway Carleton Hospital, CHEO, Rehab Centre and The Ottawa Hospital in the provision of telemedicine services concerning cardiology, pediatrics, rehab services, acute stroke management, dermatology, endocrinology, cancer care and orthopedics.

The Pembroke Regional Hospital also offers consulting services in Urology and Internal Medicine to Renfrew County Hospitals.  

Staff can access and explore new procedures, equipment and treatment modalities to serve the client better, and participate in research activities with the technology of telemedicine. 

While the primary focus of the OTN is providing specialty consultations to rural and community hospitals, the hospitals are also able to maximize the potential of the Telemedicine equipment for other essential purposes including:

• Continuing education programs for patients and their families;
• Continuing education for Health Care Professionals;
• Clinical rounds and peer-to-peer consultations; and
• Research opportunities.

Using the technology of Telemedicine, the Pembroke Regional Hospital is able to provide quality care closer to home….

J.M. Hill
31 October 2008

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