4 News March 27th 2013 * Over the Edge TELEHEALTH TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF STUDENTS ON CAMPUS HANNA PETERSEN NEWS EDITOR Going out of your way to see a doctor can sometimes be an inconvenience, especially for students busy with final exams and projects. Scheduling a doctor’s appointment or waiting in line at a walk-in clinic can be a hassle for people with demanding schedules; before you know it, that irritating mole has transformed into full-on skin cancer. That may be an extreme example, but a company in Vancouver is beginning to address the underlying issue - making visits to the doctors more accessible and efficient. It’s called Medeo, and it’s what’s known as a telehealth technology service, which means 66 that it connects patients and doctors via video conferencing. It comes in the form of a web and mobile application and is a medically- insured service for BC residents with a valid personal health number. Using the service is as simple as creating an account detailing basic background information and clicking a link that says “Talk to a Doctor,” which instantly begins a video conference with a physician. If the doctor thinks the issue is serious, however, he or she would obviously recommend the patient to come in person or to visit a local clinic or emergency room. The standard consultation over the service is about ten minutes long, but the doctors request that one issue be addressed per visit. doctor in person. It’s possible that telehealth services like Medeo could improve the overall state of health for students who have little time to actually see a doctor in person. Addressing issues via the internet and mobile services may help to reduce wait times, as minor issues can be handled with in a quick video conference chat rather than take up valuable clinic time. The doctors working with Medeo also have the ability to give out prescriptions for non-controlled substances by calling the patient’s local pharmacy. “I just used Medeo to see a doctor for a referral to a specialist, which I had been putting off for over a year because I didn’t want to take time off work It’s possible that telehealth services like Medeo could improve the overall state of health for students who have little time to actually see a or school,” says Tookie Graham, a business co-op student from the University of Victoria. “With Medeo it took me less than 10 minutes to get what I needed. Medeo is an amazing service that will really improve student health at UVic and beyond, especially in the most stressful times of the year,” Doctor’s appointments on Medeo are not intended to replace traditional appointments, but rather to complement a health system that makes engaging patient care more efficient in cases where physical examinations are not necessary. Time-strapped UNBC students are welcome to pull out their care cards and visit www.medeo.ca and finally get some one on one time with a doctor in between classes. UNBC PROFESSOR RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS SCIENCE FELLOWSHIP HANNA PETERSEN NEWS EDITOR UNBC Ecosystem and Science and Management Professor Bill McGill has been elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the organization that publishes the journal Science, the most widely-reviewed scientific journal in the world. McGill was elected for his contributions to soil science and for effective science communication to students and the public at large. He was presented with the award last month at the Annual Meeting for the Association in Boston. “T am honoured to be elected a Fellow of the AAAS,” says Dr. McGill, who throughout his career, has given hundreds of community and scholarly presentations on soil biology and biogeochemistry. “Such recognition would be impossible without the efforts and contributions unbc.ca' of my colleagues and students, and the support of my wife Alice.” Dr. McGill has been with UNBC since 2001. His current research includes studying potential uses for the ash produced by the bio-energy plant for possible soil remediation. Dr. McGill was nominated for the award by professors from Stanford University, the University of California, and the University of Maryland. He is UNBC’s first ever researcher, and the only Canadian in his category, to receive the distinction. The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization dedicated to advancing science around the world by serving as an educator, leader, spokesperson, and __ professional association. INFLUENCE PEDDLING ALLEGATIONS SWIRL AROUND UNBC FORESTY CENTRE : i ..cbc.news,ca LAURA RODGERS CUP B.C. BUREAU CHIEF VANCOUVER (CUP) — The Wood Innovation and Design Centre, a B.C. Liberal—proposed multimillion-dollar research building in downtown Prince George, is facing intense scrutiny from all angles. When the Liberals announced the project in 2011, they said in a press release it would “revitalize the forest industry” and create a spate of new jobs. They said it would become “the world’s tallest multi- use wood building” by the time it was built in 2014. They envisioned it as a high-tech research centre to develop new wood-based products and building techniques. The University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) and other schools would operate classes and labs in it, and various other tenants would take up the rest of the space. But the project has come close to being felled under allegations of influence- peddling and _ fiscal imprudence — allegations that are shaking the foundations of the Liberal Party. In late February, Prince George developers Brian Fehr and Dan McLaren came forward alleging that B.C. Jobs Minister Pat Bell made them a backroom promise of a contract for the building. Fehr and McLaren wound up not making the shortlist for the project, but they alleged Bell was trying to improperly influence who got the building contract, which was then expected to be worth $25 million. The lawyer presiding over the bid process concluded that everything was handled fairly, but the NDP is still pushing for a wider investigation. According to documents obtained by the Globe and Mail, an $8.9 million-dollar provincial loan to purchase land for the project was made to McLaren in 2009, without approval from the provincial Treasury Any possibility of using the land purchased by Fehr and McLaren with the public loan was scrapped. At present, the project is still going forward, albeit with a much smaller scale and a sullied public image. Pundits In late February, Prince George developers Brian 66 Fehr and Dan McLaren came forward alleging that B.C. jobs minister Pat Bell made them a backroom promise of a contract for the building. Board. Shortly after Fehr and McLaren’s initial complaint, former B.C. finance minister Kevin Falcon dealt the project another blow. He said the B.C. treasury had never agreed to issue the funds required for the building. Falcon said in order to make it the world’s tallest wood building, it would need to be 10 storeys tall and cost roughly $100 million. He said the treasury only approved $25 million for the building, and plans and ambitions for the project would need to shrink significantly in order to fit within the available budget. allege Falcon’s critical comments came out of an urge to distance himself from the embattled B.C Premier Christy Clark, who has been taking a beating in the polls. And for UNBC to operate programs out of the building, they’1l need an influx of provincial funding. As reported by the Prince George Citizen, UNBC president George Iwama said the school doesn’t have enough cash to expand into the centre with its current budget.