Ontario Telemedicine Network
The Ontario Telemedicine Network
The Ontario Telemedicine Network is assisting the Wawa Family Health Team in building a highway to increase patient access to health care in Wawa and surrounding areas.
About the Network
This resource holds great potential for our community to improve health care due to our limited access to specialty care. The equipment is mainly used for patient education; however, we are now pleased to offer Telederm services to our patients.
Our Telederm program allows patients with skin conditions to receive their treatment from the dermatologist locally. An OTN telederm appointment is just like a regular appointment, only in addition to an examination, the referring doctor or nurse takes a digital photo of a patient’s skin condition and forwards it electronically along with relevant patient information to an Ontario-based dermatologist.
The dermatologist reviews the information, makes a diagnosis and sends treatment recommendations back to the patient’s health care provider.
Occasionally, a dermatologist may request additional photos or may ask for a procedure to complete the diagnosis. However, in the vast majority of cases the patient is not required to travel to see the dermatologist face-to-face.
Telederm allows primary care providers to provide their patients with timely care for their dermatological conditions at no extra cost to patients or physicians. The health care provider securely sends photographs of a patient’s skin condition and other relevant health information to an Ontario-based dermatologist. The dermatologist reviews the file and provides a diagnosis and treatment plan. Telederm allows timely access to dermatologists, reducing the cost, inconvenience and stress of travel for you.
Resources:
www.otn.ca