Increase adoption of new hybrid telehealth delivery system for remote & marginalized BC communities

The goal of this project is to improve the health of patients in rural and First Nations communities by improving the implementation and delivery of telemedicine services. The intern will study the telemedicine clinic in Nisgaa territory, which is run through a partnership between Livecare (a telemedicine company run by physicians) and the Nisgaa Valley Health Authority (NVHA), who manage healthcare services for their members. The clinic that Livecare operates in Taylor, BC will be examined as a second case study. The intern will identify key indicators of effectiveness in telemedicine, document the benefits of telemedicine, and identify areas for improvement. The intern will accomplish these objectives through analyzing data on patient outcomes, conducting interviews with medical experts and local political leaders, leading focus groups with patients and Nisgaa community members, and carrying out an online survey of residents and patients in Taylor. There is a lack of research on the outcomes of telemedicine projects for First Nations people this project will address that gap in the academic literature by documenting the outcomes of telemedicine in Livecares clinics. Livecare and their community partners will benefit from this project by using the research findings to improve their telemedicine services.

Faculty Supervisor:

Doug McArthur

Student:

Allison Rounding

Partner:

Livecare

Discipline:

Public administration

Sector:

Management of companies and enterprises

University:

Simon Fraser University