Despite the existence of universal health care for Canadians, health inequalities persist. Those residing in rural regions of Canada may be at a disadvantage for accessing appropriate services. To enhance access, a teletrauma program was implemented in the Robson Valley, connecting rural clinicians during emergency cases. This study was undertaken to better understand the experiences of teletrauma users and why teletrauma is utilized. Data were gathered from 14 interviews with clinicians, health administrators, a researcher, and a health executive. Guided by interpretive description methodology, four major themes emerged, including: teletrauma affects the entire system of care; teletrauma enables a network of care built on interprofessional relationships; reasons clinicians use teletrauma are multifaceted and interrelated; and, interconnectedness of the healthcare system. Information from this study provides insight into the role and function of teletrauma in northern British Columbia and how it may better serve the needs of rural clinicians.
The Northern Health Authority’s Geriatric Outreach Program provides consultations with geriatric specialists in-person and through videoconference. With Canada’s population aged 65+ expected to increase over the next several years, there is precedent to explore service delivery methods and how they influence care of older adults. Using a multi-method research design, formal-care providers’ perspectives of the Geriatric Outreach Program were explored, and the outcomes and costs of in-person and videoconferencing components were compared. Results revealed that the program supports care of older adults by providing access to geriatric care closer to patients’ homes and by providing comprehensive care plans back to the referring general practitioners. Costs of videoconferencing consultations were lower than in-person costs due to the added expense of specialist’s travel, and videoconferencing also resulted in more new diagnoses, medication changes, further testing, and requests for follow-up. However, further research is needed to fully understand these differences in outcomes.
