March 14, 2000
SickKids and Toronto CCAC to study new way of delivering patient care at home
A new telecommunications-based monitoring program launched today at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in collaboration with the Toronto Community Care Access Centre allows patients with semi-acute illness to continue their care at home.
The Tele-HomeCare Project (THC) is a close collaboration of public and private organizations. The THC Project received a research grant from the federal Health Infostructure Support Program to design the service, implement and evaluate it. The SickKids Bell Home Tele-Monitoring Centre was established through a substantial donation from Bell.
The THC Project links audio-visual and medical monitoring equipment from the patients home to a nurse at a 24-hour monitoring centre in the hospital using an ordinary telephone line. A video camera lets the patient and his or her parent and specially trained nurses at the SickKids Bell Home Tele-Monitoring Centre see, hear and talk with each other.
A monitor lets physicians and nurses periodically check the patient’s vital signs, such as heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate and record these in an electronic patient record. The program will provide patients and their families with continuity of care, as well as support and access to clinical expertise after the patient leaves the hospital.
While still in hospital patients will be carefully selected for the study based on their needs. Children who may be candidates are identified by their clinical team from the following services: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery, Respiratory Medicine, General Paediatrics, Otolaryngology (ears nose and throat) and the Critical Care Unit. If the family and responsible physician agree, and the child fits the guidelines he or she is then eligible to participate.
"We are grateful for the support and cooperation of our corporate and public supporters for making this project possible," says Dr. Robert Filler, Director, Telehealth and External and Medical Affairs at The Hospital for Sick Children. "Bell was first on board to make an investment in our vision. Their commitment made it possible for us to move forward in designing the pilot project. "
"Bell understands the very important role the SickKids Bell Home Tele-Monitoring Centre plays in providing the link between the patient and the hospital," says Randy Reynolds, President, Bell Ontario. "To be able to contribute to the well being and health of children is truly a worthwhile endeavour. By making it possible for children and their families to return home while still receiving the medical care and attention they require may prove to be the medicine these children need to help make them stronger."
Others partners who have participated and made donations in kind to the project include:
- Toronto Community Care Access Centre who assisted in the service development and who will provide the community health and personal support services;
- TecKnowledge Healthcare Systems Inc., who provided technical and development expertise in helping to design the service;
- Home Care Evaluation and Research Centre at the University of Toronto who is assisting in the evaluation of the project.
- Geoffrey H Wood Foundation and The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation for the support the Telehealth Evaluation Program has received in developing the expertise and support for carrying out this research.
"Children and their families are one of our key populations and it is vital that we work in partnership with other organizations to deliver the services they need in the best way possible," said Camille Orridge, Chief Executive Officer of the Toronto Community Care Access Centre. "The Tele-HomeCare Project is an excellent example of effective collaboration among the key partners who are all working to serve children and their families through this innovative program and thus provide continuity of care."
The THC Project is part of the Telehealth program at The Hospital for Sick Children. The pilot will study and help to evaluate the impact of the technology on the patient and family, their quality of life and the quality of care. In addition, it will assess the impact on health care providers in the hospital and the community and cost effectiveness. For more information on the Telehealth Program at The Hospital for Sick Children see our website: www.sickkids.on.ca.
For more information contact:
Ann Mahdy
Bell Canada
Media Relations
(416) 581-3311
1-888-482-0809
Stacey Daub
Child and Family Services
Toronto Community Care Access Centre
250 Dundas Street Unit 5
Toronto, Ontario
M5T 2Z5
(416) 217-3820 (phone) ex. 2501
(416) 217-3825 (fax)
or
For more information, please contact:
Public Affairs
The Hospital for Sick Children
555 University Avenue
Suite 1742, Public Affairs, First floor Atrium
Toronto,
ON
M5G 1X8
Canada
Phone: 416-813-5058
Fax: 416-813-5328