Recommendations
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The document summarizes the recommendations from a 1998 tele-homecare consultation workshop and the follow up actions taken by Health Canada to address the recommendations. The workshop resulted in 27 recommendations grouped into categories such as national vision, policy and standards, funding, and information and awareness. Health Canada's actions included funding tele-homecare projects, commissioning papers on issues like reimbursement and licensure, developing a national home care data set, and ongoing discussions with provinces and stakeholders.
Recommendations
- 2. Tele-Homecare Consultation Workshop August 7, 1998 Toronto, Ontario Follow-Up to Recommendations Office of Health and the Information Highway Health Canada March 1999
- 3. Our mission is to help the people of Canada maintain and improve their health. Health Canada Additional copies are available from: Office of Health and the Information Highway Postal Locator 3002A2 11 Holland Avenue - Tower A - Second Floor Ottawa ON K1A 0K9 telephone: (613) 954-9165 fax: (613) 952-3226 website address: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ohih-bsi Questions and comments should be addressed to the author Sandra Lowenstein at: Sandra_Lowenstein@hc-sc.gc.ca. This publication can be made available in/on computer diskette, large print, audio- cassette or braille upon request. galement disponible en fran巽ais sous le titre : Atelier de consultation sur les t辿l辿soins domicile : Suivi des recommandations
- 4. Tele-Homecare Consultation Workshop: Follow-Up to Recommendations March 1999 1 INTRODUCTION A tele-homecare consultation workshop was held on August 7, 1998 to examine and discuss: the current status of tele-homecare projects, activities and initiatives; obstacles, barriers and opportunities for development; trends and future directions; and potential federal initiatives. Fifty representatives from industry, government, health services, organizations and academia participated. The workshop was organized by the Canadian Network for the Advancement of Research, Industry and Education (CANARIE) on behalf of the Office of Health and the Information Highway (OHIH), Health Canada. The workshop resulted in a total of 27 recommendations grouped under the following categories: national vision; national policy and standards; funding; information and awareness; industry and business development; and consultation and collaboration. The following table outlines the progress that has been made by Health Canada in addressing these recommendations.
- 5. Tele-Homecare Consultation Workshop: Follow-Up to Recommendations 2 March 1999 TELE-HOMECARE WORKSHOP AUGUST 7, 1998 FOLLOW-UP TO RECOMMENDATIONS Recommendation Action National Vision a) Create an advisory task force on tele- homecare/telehealth. a) Discussions with provinces/territories and other stakeholders regarding telehealth are ongoing. National Policy and Standards a) Develop policies and mechanisms to support a national home health care system for all Canadians. b) Eliminate/offset home care access inequities created by the Canada Health Act. c) Establish incentives for tele-homecare at the provincial level to ensure that money allocated provincially supports homecare. d) Develop mechanisms and standards for interprovincial professional remuneration for tele-homecare, including remuneration for tele-consultation. e) Develop national standards or cross-border reciprocity agreements for professional credentialling. f) Establish national standards and regulations for confidentiality of electronic patient information. g) Develop national technology standards and/or guidelines to ensure interoperability. a) OHIH works on an ongoing basis with Home Care Development in areas of mutual interest (e.g., round table on technology and homecare). OHIH also exchanges information with the Canadian Home Care Association on a regular basis. b) The federal government actively supports innovative approaches to health care. The broader goals that we are working toward over the longer term were agreed to by ministers by health last September and included the place of home and community care in an integrated health system. c) This issue is currently being explored by Health Canada. d) Paper commissioned by the Advisory Council on Health Infostructure Secretariat on the issue of telehealth and provider reimbursement. e) Paper commissioned by the Advisory Council on Health Infostructure Secretariat on provider licensure issues pertaining to telehealth. f) Recommendation 3.4 in the Advisory Council on Health Infostructures final report calls upon the federal Minister of Health to work with his provincial/territorial counterparts to create provincial electronic health record systems. A federal and provincial/territorial expert group under the sponsorship of Health CIOs Forum is undertaking collaborative work in this area. g) This issue is currently being explored by Health Canada.
- 6. Tele-Homecare Consultation Workshop: Follow-Up to Recommendations TELE-HOMECARE WORKSHOP AUGUST 7, 1998 FOLLOW-UP TO RECOMMENDATIONS Recommendation Action March 1999 3 Funding a) Fund several large-scale, world class trials with clear obligations for evaluation and dissemination of findings. b) Fund a National Centre of Excellence on Telehealth aimed at evidence-based results. c) Provide funds for networked health initiatives like SchoolNet. d) Fund more research and development at universities. a) Health Transition Fund: 4 tele-homecare projects - $7.4M HISP: 7 tele-homecare projects - $1.5M February 1999 budget b) Discussions with provinces/territories and other stakeholders regarding telehealth are ongoing. c) Health Canada working with Industry Canada on ways of enhancing their Community Access Program to include the voluntary health sector. d) A literature review study on cost-effectiveness of investments in health infostructure is being initiated with representatives from the University of Ottawa. Information and Awareness a) Create a national database and clearinghouse on best practices. b) Facilitate and/or establish a national information network. c) Establish policy and guidelines for IT spending. d) Increase awareness at the provincial level about IT. e) Give an organization such as CIHI a mandate to develop reporting requirements for home health care data. a) A preliminary national connectivity model is being developed by consultants. b) See above. c) Study on the cost-effectiveness of health infrastructure investments is in progress. d) Awareness raising and knowledge sharing of issues related to the development of the Canadian health infostructure is an ongoing activity of OHIH. e) Through the Health Transition Fund, CIHI will be developing a national data set for home care services to be tested in eight home care agencies across Canada.
- 7. Tele-Homecare Consultation Workshop: Follow-Up to Recommendations TELE-HOMECARE WORKSHOP AUGUST 7, 1998 FOLLOW-UP TO RECOMMENDATIONS Recommendation Action 4 March 1999 Industry and Business Development a) Reform policies to enable our health care system and expertise to be exploited positively as an asset. b) Market and sell Canadian services and expertise. The Canadian health care system has a very positive international reputation. c) Outsource to Canadian firms as a means of creating a healthy Canadian telehealth industry capable of exporting. d) Consult with industry on how to effectively enable business partnerships. a) The role of the private sector and the concept of public/private partnerships in relation to the use of technology in health care is an ongoing issue currently being explored by Health Canada (e.g., Canadian Health Network, Ministers Advisory Council on Health Infostructure). b) Industry Canada is developing a telehealth sector growth strategy that includes industrial development and focuses on exporting Canadian products, knowledge and expertise. c) See above. d) See above. Consultation and Collaboration a) Organize the next Infostructure Conference on Tele- homecare as soon as possible to maintain momentum. b) Consult with public- and private-sector researchers and developers to resolve intellectual property issues. c) Continue to sponsor conferences for dissemination of information. d) Organize a consulting group to examine the systemic requirements for sustaining trials after their completion. e) Develop and support continued collaboration among critical government and non-governmental organizations such as Health Canada, Industry Canada, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and CANARIE. f) Maintain a leadership role in federal-provincial consultation and collaboration. a) Focus has broadened from tele-homecare to telehealth. b) No action to date. c) Health Canada/OHIH sponsors several conferences and events on an ongoing basis related to the development of the Canadian health infostructure (e.g., TEXPO 98, Digital III, privacy workshops) d) No action to date. e) Ongoing. f) Ongoing (e.g., F/P/T Health CIOs Forum, work on privacy harmonization accord).