Everywhere we turn these days, we are faced with new technologies. TVs are getting bigger and smaller at the same time, the world is at our finger tips and phones are now being made in something called 4G.
So the Telehealth idea seems like a long time coming. Sure that is more involved than simple video conferencing. There is special equipment, scheduling and security to deal with, but the benefits to this system are obvious and plenty.
This nation is so spread out and often difficult to get around, especially in the winter.
Bringing specialists closer to patients is a way to take a lot of strife out of a stressful situation. Not to mention, and especially on Vancouver Island, a growing number of the people needing our health system are the elderly.
Our senior population is one of our most vulnerable and will certainly benefit from not having to travel and wait to get specialized attention.
A lot of people may feel talking to a doctor, sometimes with a nurse present, through a computer screen is too impersonal and those arguments do carry weight.
Many take solace and comfort in seeing their family physician. Having the person in the room makes the whole ordeal easier.
No one is trying to replace the family doctor. However the Telehealth system is a great way to connect patients in Ladysmith and Chemainus with specialists in Victoria and Nanaimo.
And that is just the beginning. As the local proponent to Telehealth pointed out, a whole world of medical help can be opened with this system.
As with most things in Ladysmith, this won’t happen without the community’s support.
Keep reading the Chronicle to find out how you can help make it happen.