There is currently a pilot project occuring in Ontario called NORTH Network
(Northern Ontario Remote Telecommunication Health Network).  The NORTH
Network is a telehealth project which uses televisions, cameras and
telephones to provide increased access to medical care for Northern Ontario
rural communitities.

The project initially links Kirkland & District Hospital and Lady Minto
Hospital in Cochrane with specialists in Timmins & District Hospital and
Sunnybrook Health Science Centre in Toronto.  As the project expands, more
health care facilities will be added.

The following specialties are available over the NORTH Network:
Dermatology, Orthopaedc follow-ups, Paediatrics (Hospital for Sick
Children), Geriatric follow-ups, and Rehab physiotherapy.  As the project
develops, the following specialties may be added:  Surgery, Psychiatry,
Rheumatology, Occupational & Speech Therapy, Internal Medicine,
Cardiology/cardiac surgery follow-ups, Oncology follow-ups and Plastics
follow-ups.  The NORTH Network is also used for Continuing Medical
Education, and training for other health and social service professionals.

For more information, try sending a message to Carol at:
        [log in to unmask]

Of course, there is an evaluation attached to this initiative.  I have only
heard about preliminary "process" and "patient satisfaction" reports,
primarily in the mass media.  You may want to ask Carol where the project
is at with respect to evaluation.

At 12:19 PM 3/19/99 -0500, you wrote:
>Hello!
>I was just wondering if anyone of you have any information of evaluation
>of health and medical services technologies for rural and underserved
>areas in Canada and in developing countries? I will also appreciate if you
>know about experiences of telemedicine applications in rural areas
>whatever they would be and impacts over quality, equity or organisational
>culture?
>Thank you very much
>Andres Vera.
>
>



*********************************************************************


Wendy DeMarco, MA
Program Consultant, CAMH, ARF Division,
Timmins Community Programs Office
119 Pine St. S., Pine Plaza, Suite 324
Timmins, Ontario, Canada (Home of Shania Twain!!)
P4N 2K3
[log in to unmask]
Phone: (705)267-6419, FAX: (705) 264-0944