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Title:
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HOW CAN TELEHEALTH TRANSFORM HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE IN REMOTE REGIONS? |
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Author(s):
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Marie-pierre Gagnon , Julie Duplantie , Jean-paul Fortin , Réjean Landry |
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ISBN:
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972-8939-03-5 |
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Editors:
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Pedro Isaías, Piet Kommers and Maggie McPherson |
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Year:
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2005 |
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Edition:
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Single |
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Keywords:
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Telehealth, Healthcare professionals, Medical practice, Remote region, Healthcare organisations. |
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Type:
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Full Paper |
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First Page:
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241 |
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Last Page:
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248 |
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Language:
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English |
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Cover:
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Full Contents:
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click to dowload 
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Paper Abstract:
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Telehealth, as other information and communication technologies (ICT) introduced to support the delivery of healthcare services, is considered as a means to answer many of the imperatives currently challenging healthcare systems. In Canada, many telehealth projects are taking place, mainly in remote or isolated areas. Until now, different telehealth applications have been experimented and have shown promising outcomes. However, telehealth utilisation remains limited in many settings, despite the availability of technology and telecommunication infrastructures. A qualitative study was conducted in four remote regions of Quebec (Canada) to explore the perceptions of different actors with respect to telehealth effects on clinical practice and on the organisation of healthcare services as well as the requirements for telehealth success. A total of 54 respondents, comprising physicians, medical directors, and regional health boards representatives, were interviewed. Content analysis of interviews has allowed classifying the effects of telehealth into different categories. Furthermore, this study has highlighted a set of conditions that should be taken into account to ensure the integration of this technology into clinical practices and healthcare organisations. Finally, strategies to facilitate the appropriation of telehealth by healthcare professionals and its integration into practices are proposed. |
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