Now being used at Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, the JEDMED Horus Scope is a high-tech camera whose resolution allows a dermatologist to assess darker skin tones virtually.
Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care's engaged and dedicated Virtual Care Team has helped improve treatment times and connect patients/clients with family members and highly specialized medical professionals.
“This team really puts the care in virtual care," said Jessica Ariss, Director of Collaborative Learning and Equity, Diversion and Inclusion. “They have embarked upon adventurous, creative problem solving to increase access to the highest quality services that support individualized needs."
The team co-ordinates care for inpatients, as well as clients in community-based settings, through the use of the Ontario Telemedicine Network and Zoom Health. Virtual care and eConsults allow clients to access services close to home in a secure and comfortable location.
For people who face barriers related to transportation, limited device accessibility or internet availability, virtual appointments are hosted at the Community Health Hub and a variety of other community-based organizations across the region.
To ensure each client's unique needs are met, interpreter services are employed through the Voyce App and MCIS Language Solutions so clients can communicate in the language that is most comfortable to them.
The eConsults are facilitated by Jess Cos, a Clinical Virtual Care and Digital Health Support Specialist. She gathers information and communicates with a specialist who provides assessment and treatment recommendations.
Response times have significantly improved. Patients who previously required a consultation with the liver clinic, for example, would typically wait six months. Now, the Virtual Care Team is able to get recommendations from a specialist within 12-24 hours.
To facilitate eConsults with dermatologists, the Virtual Care Team recently purchased a high-tech camera called the JEDMED Horus Scope, which allows for accurate assessment of darker skin tones. The camera's incredible resolution and interchangeable lens attachments enable the team to provide high-quality, efficient dermatology consults to all patients who require this service.
Virtual care also offers the opportunity for patients to connect with family members who aren't able to visit in person.
“It's clear these opportunities provide meaningful connections," said Liam Wilson, a Virtual Care and Digital Health Support Specialist. “It's really a team effort to make these visits work."
The team has arranged a virtual birthday party where a patient opened gifts with family members, and has arranged a virtual funeral service with all the screens and cameras required to facilitate seamless communication and connection.
The Virtual Care Team facilitates training with patients/clients and staff, has step-by-step tip sheets available, regularly sets up test calls to ensure everything works smoothly prior to the appointment, and is available to provide on-the-spot support if needed.