Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Jul 03/98) - New computer equipment at Inuvik Regional Hospital means physicians can give patients face-to-face consulting opportunities with specialists in Yellowknife.

The machine, which is part of the telehealth or WestNet project, will help provide orthopedic and internal medicine consultation.

Hospital staff expect the machine's scope to expand as they get more familiar with its capabilities.

Links with other Beaufort communities and more southerly hospitals than Yellowknife could come on line in the next few years.

"This has the potential for ... more efficient use of staff and client time," said hospital medical director Chuck MacNeil. "This is with respect to travel, specifically."

The computer-like machine has several potential attachments.

Chief among them are the patient camera for physical examinations, an otoscope for ear, nose and throat examinations, a dermascope for examining skin, an electronic stethoscope for listening to heart and chest sounds and a scanner for sending X-ray films.

At a June 24 launch, more than one dozen people surrounded the Inuvik hospital boardroom table watching the two other NWT communities with similar machines, Yellowknife and Fort Smith, on monitors.

Health Minister Kelvin Ng told Inuvik and Fort Smith viewers and people in attendance in Yellowknife that rapid expansion is likely once the system is up and running.

Inuvik telehealth co-ordinator Angie Sutherland demonstrated the otoscope by placing the accessory in her ear so inner parts were visible on the screen.

She then placed the dermascope on the hand of Inuvik director of communications Deborah Pennell. Pennell inked a line on the back of her hand and the dermascope magnified the spot.

Some glitches marred the launch, such as when the sound went off briefly. But compared with Northern reception for Internet teleconferencing software such as Net Meeting, the new link was crystal clear.

MacNeil said the hospital conducted several test clinics during the past few weeks and both patients and physicians who participated in these trials were pleased with the results.

Hospital staff may eventually use the equipment to offer continuing education workshops and seminars.