Telemedicine

Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital is a member of the Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN), an extensive network of over 1,200 sites servicing the province of Ontario and one of the largest networks of its kind in the world.


Overview

OTN provides access to health care for patients in every hospital and hundreds of other health care locations across the province.

Telemedicine is an interactive, two-way televideo conferencing technology which allows for face-to-face communication and facilitates consultations with your physician or other health care professional who may be kilometres away.

If you decide to use Telemedicine, you will have the opportunity to see, hear and speak with a health care provider and discuss your plan of care. This means you will not have to leave your community in order to consult with a specialist. You will save time and money in travel and related expenses, and no longer will you be required to take a day off work to attend an out of town appointment.

In addition to clinical care, we facilitate the delivery of distance education and administrative meetings for health care professionals and patients.

OTN is committed to improving access to quality health care. It’s about having the right provider in the right place at the right time.


Contact Us

Telemedicine Coordinators
170 Colborne Street West
Orillia, ON L3V 2Z3

T: (705) 325-2201 ext. 3059
F: (705) 327-9181
E: telemedicine@osmh.on.ca


Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Telemedicine located?

The Telemedicine Studio at OSMH is located in the Outpatient Clinic on the main level of the hospital. You can enter the hospital from Mississaga Street or through the Main Entrance following the signs for the Outpatient Clinic.

What can I expect to happen during a Telemedicine appointment?

A Telemedicine appointment is similar to a regular visit, the only difference is that you will see and talk to the doctor through a television screen. Your appointment will take place in a private room and all information is treated within strict privacy guidelines.

Your Telemedicine Coordinator has several diagnostic tools that will assist your specialist during the appointment. These include an electronic stethoscope with Bluetooth capabilities and a hand held zoom camera.

How do I get a Telemedicine appointment?

Ask your health care provider if Telemedicine is right for you. Telemedicine is useful for many appointments, but we may not be able to use it for all your visits. Referrals to OTN can be made by your Family Physician. OTN will then contact you directly with your appointment date and time.

What is Telederm?

Telederm is a new OTN program designed to bring dermatology services to underserviced areas. Photographs and a clinical history of a patient’s dermatological condition are uploaded to OTN’s Store Forward Program using a secure, password protected server. From there a dermatologist can examine them and issue a report to the referring physician with a diagnosis and a suggested course of treatment.

How do I access the new Telederm Program?

Your family physician can fill out a Telederm Referral Form and fax it to the OSMH Telemedicine Coordinators. Please note that physicians in the Couchiching Family Health Team have access to Telederm through their office.

The Telemedicine Coordinator at OSMH will call you and make an appointment for you to come to our office in the Outpatient Clinic Area. Here we will take digital photographs of the affected area and a brief history of your dermatological condition. This information is uploaded to OTN’s Store Forward Program. Once this has been done, a dermatologist will review your information and photos and respond to your family physician. Your family physician will contact you once a report has been received from the dermatologist. Response times have been impressive; usually within two weeks!

For more information about Telemedicine please access the OTN website at www.otn.ca


Useful Resources