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Rick O’Neil had just about given up on life when he was asked whether he would try some new technology to keep him in touch with medical professionals and others.
That tablet-like device, called aTouchAway, was the start of a new beginning for O’Neil, In fact, the 56-year-old is convinced the technology, which keeps him in daily contact with health workers, helped saved his life.
The Arnprior man, who was struggling with multiple health issues as well as depression, contacted the device’s inventor, Ottawa high-tech entrepreneur Michel Paquet, to tell him just that.
The device — which offers a secure, easy-to-use digital communication platform — was originally designed by Paquet to help his family keep in touch with an elderly aunt who had Alzheimer’s disease. But now a modified version of the tablet developed by Paquet’s company Aetonix is being tested as a possible way to improve the health of some of Ontario’s complex-care patients, including O’Neil.
Paquet said he was driving from Toronto to Ottawa last February when his cellphone began ringing. He stopped and talked to O’Neil, who told him: “I just want to tell you that the reason I am here is because of you guys.”
The entrepreneur recently recalled that conversation, saying: “That was a heartbreaker. It is worth every paycheque I get.”
O’Neil is one of a number of complex-care patients in Eastern Ontario using the technology that provides one-touch secure video conferencing and treatment information sharing.
The device allows health workers, including nurse Laurie Hebert, who is O’Neil’s care co-ordinator with the Arnprior Region and Ottawa West Health Link (AROW), to keep in touch with him, making sure he gets all the medical care he needs. Some of that care arrives in the form of video consultations over the device, appointment reminders and reassurance. The tablet could, in the future, allow health workers to get blood pressure and other information remotely.
Health Links have been set up across the province to co-ordinate care for patients with complex needs, including O’Neil. The device is being used by the AROW health link based in Arnprior, as well as the Upper Canada Health Link, based at Winchester District Memorial Hospital. Often, says Hebert, patients’ greatest needs are not purely medical, but relate to housing or finances. Helping them sort out their lives can vastly improve their overall health.
For O’Neil, who is diabetic and had a dangerous case of toxic shock last year, the device was a lifeline. At the time, he was living in a small apartment with no phone or Internet and battling depression as well as various illnesses.
It provided the structure O’Neil needed to move ahead with his life. “Every day at 8 a.m. I knew I would get a call on the tablet, so I was dressed and sitting at the table drinking coffee.” Previously, he said, he felt he had little reason to get out of bed.
The device was one of 15 initiatives to receive support from Ontario’s health technologies fund. The $20- million program is aimed at finding technological solutions to some of Ontario’s biggest health care challenges.
Complex care patients top that list. They make up about five per cent of the provincial population, but consume about two-thirds of health-care dollars.
Helping to efficiently and effectively deliver health care to that crucial five per cent is a “holy grail” of health care in Ontario, said William Charnetski, the province’s chief health innovation strategist.
“We are finding new ways to solve our greatest challenges by harnessing the power of innovation to provide better care while creating jobs in Ontario.”
The aTouchAway system is being tried on patients in the Arnprior and Upper Canada regions. Evidence gathered from their experiences could lead to its use among complex care patients around the province.
Health officials in Eastern Ontario have already seen evidence of how the device can keep people out of the emergency room.
“Often when you have critical care people they tend to be nervous about their condition. When anything happens, they tend to come to the hospital, if they can. This gives them the opportunity to connect with someone and get some reassurance and, if necessary, come in to the hospital,” said John Fielding, from the Ontario Centres of Excellence.
“It enables people to connect together with their support mechanism without having to make trips to the hospital.”
The device is being evaluated by the Women’s College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care to see how effective it is at improving access to care for patients with complex needs.
O’Neil’s verdict is already in.
“I have been out of the hospital since October of last year and my health is getting better. I still have some issues, but I just hit that button and talk to Laurie and she keeps track of me. I am here today because of this.”
epayne@postmedia.com
查看原文...
That tablet-like device, called aTouchAway, was the start of a new beginning for O’Neil, In fact, the 56-year-old is convinced the technology, which keeps him in daily contact with health workers, helped saved his life.
The Arnprior man, who was struggling with multiple health issues as well as depression, contacted the device’s inventor, Ottawa high-tech entrepreneur Michel Paquet, to tell him just that.
The device — which offers a secure, easy-to-use digital communication platform — was originally designed by Paquet to help his family keep in touch with an elderly aunt who had Alzheimer’s disease. But now a modified version of the tablet developed by Paquet’s company Aetonix is being tested as a possible way to improve the health of some of Ontario’s complex-care patients, including O’Neil.
Paquet said he was driving from Toronto to Ottawa last February when his cellphone began ringing. He stopped and talked to O’Neil, who told him: “I just want to tell you that the reason I am here is because of you guys.”
The entrepreneur recently recalled that conversation, saying: “That was a heartbreaker. It is worth every paycheque I get.”
O’Neil is one of a number of complex-care patients in Eastern Ontario using the technology that provides one-touch secure video conferencing and treatment information sharing.
The device allows health workers, including nurse Laurie Hebert, who is O’Neil’s care co-ordinator with the Arnprior Region and Ottawa West Health Link (AROW), to keep in touch with him, making sure he gets all the medical care he needs. Some of that care arrives in the form of video consultations over the device, appointment reminders and reassurance. The tablet could, in the future, allow health workers to get blood pressure and other information remotely.
Health Links have been set up across the province to co-ordinate care for patients with complex needs, including O’Neil. The device is being used by the AROW health link based in Arnprior, as well as the Upper Canada Health Link, based at Winchester District Memorial Hospital. Often, says Hebert, patients’ greatest needs are not purely medical, but relate to housing or finances. Helping them sort out their lives can vastly improve their overall health.
For O’Neil, who is diabetic and had a dangerous case of toxic shock last year, the device was a lifeline. At the time, he was living in a small apartment with no phone or Internet and battling depression as well as various illnesses.
It provided the structure O’Neil needed to move ahead with his life. “Every day at 8 a.m. I knew I would get a call on the tablet, so I was dressed and sitting at the table drinking coffee.” Previously, he said, he felt he had little reason to get out of bed.
The device was one of 15 initiatives to receive support from Ontario’s health technologies fund. The $20- million program is aimed at finding technological solutions to some of Ontario’s biggest health care challenges.
Complex care patients top that list. They make up about five per cent of the provincial population, but consume about two-thirds of health-care dollars.
Helping to efficiently and effectively deliver health care to that crucial five per cent is a “holy grail” of health care in Ontario, said William Charnetski, the province’s chief health innovation strategist.
“We are finding new ways to solve our greatest challenges by harnessing the power of innovation to provide better care while creating jobs in Ontario.”
The aTouchAway system is being tried on patients in the Arnprior and Upper Canada regions. Evidence gathered from their experiences could lead to its use among complex care patients around the province.
Health officials in Eastern Ontario have already seen evidence of how the device can keep people out of the emergency room.
“Often when you have critical care people they tend to be nervous about their condition. When anything happens, they tend to come to the hospital, if they can. This gives them the opportunity to connect with someone and get some reassurance and, if necessary, come in to the hospital,” said John Fielding, from the Ontario Centres of Excellence.
“It enables people to connect together with their support mechanism without having to make trips to the hospital.”
The device is being evaluated by the Women’s College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care to see how effective it is at improving access to care for patients with complex needs.
O’Neil’s verdict is already in.
“I have been out of the hospital since October of last year and my health is getting better. I still have some issues, but I just hit that button and talk to Laurie and she keeps track of me. I am here today because of this.”
epayne@postmedia.com
查看原文...
