CHSSN Distant Community Support Program 2005-2008

1. CHSSN Distant Community Support Program 2005-2008 Forum - Quebec City Les personnes d’expression anglaise du Québec et la santé publique March 27, 2008

2. Agenda CHSSN Distant Community Support Program 2005-2008 Funded by the McGill University Training and Human Resources Development Project • Background – 2001-2002 • Activities and Results - 2005-2008 • Look to the Future – 2008 and Beyond

3. Background According to the Canada Community Health Survey, when compared to: • French-speaking Quebecers, • French-speaking minorities outside Quebec • Anglo-Canadians English–speaking Quebecers scored the lowest of all groups for: • Having a regular doctor • Unmet health needs • Satisfaction with the way care was provided • Use of hospital services • Use of physician services • Difficulty getting specialists • Quality of doctor care • Satisfaction with community based care • Difficulty getting tests • Difficulty getting health information • Difficulty getting immediate care Canada Community Health Survey

4. Background Patient and Community Support Network (PCSN) Project 2001-2002 Holland Development Corporation in collaboration with: • Fraser Recovery Centre • McGill Centre for Loss and Bereavement • McGill University Health Centre • Council for Anglophone Magdalen Islanders • Committee for Anglophone Social Action Created to provide access to health and social services to English-speaking minority remote Quebec communities where services were unavailable or difficult to obtain.

5. Background Project Goals Building Community Capacity to Participate in Telehealth Programs (videoconferencing) to: • Implement Telehealth services to 4 isolated English-speaking communities. • Enhance the access of English-language health and social services to remote English-speaking regions of Quebec. • Further build each region’s capacity to host English-language Telehealth programs. • Strengthen partnerships among rural English-speaking communities and public health institutions.

6. Background Expectations The initiative would… • Contribute to improved health determinants affecting this population. • Evaluate videoconferencing as a viable alternative to face-to-face sessions. • Provide valuable insights for hosting future Telehealth programs to isolated English-speaking communities.

7. Background Building from Results Overall results revealed that Telehealth programs: • Can be effectively used as a substitute for face-to-face sessions, for educational purposes. • Can facilitate increased access to health and social services to distant English-speaking communities. • Are successful in linking members of isolated English-speaking communities with existing health and social programs.

8. Background Recommendations from PCSN Project Building community capacity is essential for communities to participate in and sustain the use of Telehealth programs. • Build community skills to successfully mobilize and implement Telehealth programs. • Create sustainable Telehealth partnerships among isolated English-speaking communities and service providers. • Develop community evaluation and planning skills to effectively monitor and evaluate Telehealth programs and services.

9. Background Guiding Principles To aid in the successful delivery of the project: • Focus on building community capacity (skills, knowledge) to host and sustain Telehealth programs. • Build from previous learnings and best practices of Telehealth programming. • Incorporate evaluation measures to successfully plan for the future. • Build local and regional partnerships as key to the quality and sustainability of Telehealth programs.

10. Background Building Community Capacity to Participate in Telehealth Programs 2004-2005 • A bridging project with the McGill University Training and Human Resources Development Project. • Coordinated by the Community Health & Social Services Network in partnership with McGill University Health Centre. • Project Sponsor: Department of Canadian Heritage, Official-Language Communities Program, Community Life Component.

11. Activities and Results CHSSN Distance Community Support Program 2005-2008 • Deliver a program addressing identified gaps in access to health and social services. • Build from the successes of the initial Telehealth Project. • Continue to identify other support activities to compliment videoconferencing.

12. Activities and Results Distance Community Support Program What is it? • Videoconferencing • Telephone conferencing • Telehealth Session DVDs • Follow-up Intervention Projects • Telehealth Web Site Project • Community Radio Let’s Talk Health! Radio Show

13. Activities and Results Summary of Results 2005-2008 Building from success: • Communities continue to expand their knowledge and are taking action beyond the Telehealth sessions

14. Look to the future A Look to the Future: 2008 and Beyond Challenges • Only 8 out of 17 regions involved. • Greater involvement/partnerships with health (public health) professionals. • Limited reach in the regions. (ie. need for regions to open up additional sites). • Ongoing support for follow-up activities/intervention programs. • Technology. • Alternative modes of delivery, i.e. community radio, web cam.