LHIN announces $2 million for nurses

News Release
LHIN

The North West LHIN is investing $2,034,860 to hire nurses to deliver health care through telemedicine, improving access to high quality health care for people in the region.
Organizations from across the region will be able to hire 28 new “telemedicine” nurses. These are health care practitioners who use the latest technology for virtual patient consultations, assessments, training and knowledge exchange.
As a result of this investment, more residents will receive care from specialists closer to home, decreasing the need for travel and increasing the number and types of services available across the northwest through telemedicine.
“Nurses are the hands and hearts of the health care system,” says Catherine Collinson, CEO at Nipigon District Memorial Hospital. “Their specialized knowledge and training provide care and support to patients and their families 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This investment will also provide opportunities to enhance their patient-care knowledge and skills in a cost-effective manner.”
Collinson says it’s also a good example of collaboration between the North West LHIN and health service providers.
“Achieving healthier communities is a great task, one that cannot be accomplished by an organization working alone,” she says. “Only through partnerships between providers, funders and the communities can we serve the best interests of our patients, clients and our region.”
First introduced to northern Ontario in 1998, telemedicine:
Improves access to health care across the region Eliminates costly and time-consuming long distance travel
The North West LHIN acknowledges the critical role played by the Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN) in facilitating more effective and efficient delivery of health care services to the region.
“Given our vast geography and sparse population, telemedicine is an essential service in the North West LHIN. By investing in this technology and the people who use it, we can ensure that residents continue to receive high quality health care as quickly, efficiently and as close to home as possible," saidLaura Kokocinski, CEO, North West LHIN.
“We are pleased that the North West LHIN will be able to use this funding to extend the reach of telemedicine and enhance access to care for patients in the northwest," said Dr. Ed Brown, CEO, Ontario Telemedicine Network
“Videoconference technology provides increased access to specialized care for both hospital in-patients and for clients in the community and long-term care. Nurses and other health care professionals will also be able to participate in distance education sessions, enhancing their patient care knowledge and skills in a very cost-effective manner," said Catherine Collinson, CEO, Nipigon District Memorial Hospital
“As a pediatrician and telemedicine provider for the past 13 years, it is exciting to see this commitment and funding for telemedicine. It is only with the assistance of these dedicated telemedicine nurses that we fully harness the potential that telemedicine offers in helping us deliver care to our patients in the region," said Dr. Teresa Bruni, Pediatrician, Northwestern Ontario

QUICK FACTS
In 2010/11, the use of telemedicine in the North West LHIN resulted in more than $11 million in avoided travel costs, and more than 27 million kilometres in avoided patient travel. There are 134 active OTN sites and 210 active systems in the Northwest. In 2010/11, Northwestern Ontario hosted 23,426 clinical events on the Network.