BC Alliance on Telehealth Research and Policy

2005 HSPRSN Investigative Team Award

To provide evidence and capacity building to support the integration of sustainable telehealth care services to support patient-focused homecare initiatives in the management of chronic disease.

Profile and Purpose

The British Columbia Alliance on Telehealth Policy and Research (BCATPR) team will focus on developing telehealth services and policy using an Internet-supported platform for patients, providers and decision-makers in the area of cardiovascular disease (CVD) to improve routine care for patients in rural and remote communities. Specifically, the BCATPR team aims to:

• build capacity in health services and policy research related to telehealth services, education and training;
• improve patient outcomes in high-impact chronic disease through the use of innovative telehealth strategies to deliver patient-focused care;
• enhance the continuum of patient care through the use of innovative telehealth strategies to facilitate shared care between primary and secondary care providers; and
• increase the scope of telehealth services by using technology that is accessible to a large proportion of BC residents and minimizes barriers of cost and geographic accessibility.

The team anticipates that this research will have relevance to improving care and reducing costs of health services for patients with other chronic diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

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