Christine Kay
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Nov 11/02) - Training is underway for technicians operating the new telehealth system being installed in 15 Nunavut communities.

The technology is comprised of a computer system, and a remote-controlled camera. It allows caregivers and patients in one community to link up with health professionals by camera in other Northern and southern health centres.

Of the $7.4 million budgeted for Telehealth, $1.1 million was used to set up the 15 video stations. The rest of the money was used for program development, connecting Nunavut to southern sites, and for training.

Each community will have one primary technician and a back-up technician. Both will receive the same amount of training.

"The telehealth system was installed in Panniqtuuq three weeks ago. One week later, we came in and did training for five days," said Tina McKinnon late last month. She is manager of Telehealth in Nunavut. The training will teach technicians how to connect to other health centres in Nunavut or in other provinces. It will show workers how to focus the camera, zoom in and out, and how to use the computer program and software.

Once training is complete, Telehealth will be used for education sessions between different centres and for consultations with doctors in Iqaluit, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.

Medical services director Dr. Sandy Macdonald said telehealth will improve health services.

"It builds on what we have already. This system allows us to add the pictures, and the live feed. It allows us to see the patients," said Macdonald.

Telehealth can also be used to offer family support to patients, said McKinnon. Many women in the North who have complications during pregnancies must be medevaced down south. Using the telehealth system, family members can interact with the medevaced patient through a high-quality live video feed.

"You'll see there's a little bit of a delay just like on the telephone. It's about a little bit less than a second. The picture is full-motion video," said McKinnon.

Each community will have 20 hours each month for telehealth services, but McKinnon said the hours will be flexible depending on community needs.