New online platform in N.S. designed to build efficiencies within province's health-care system
A new program in Nova Scotia was created in hopes to ease some pressure on the province's health-care system by minimizing patient wait times to see a specialist.
The idea for "Virtual Hallway" came from a conversation between two doctors who came up with new treatment options for a patient.
Dr. Luke Napier said the web-based platform is already growing at a rapid rate.
“It’s essentially a scheduler," said Napier. "It makes it easy for a family physician or nurse practitioner to get in touch with a specialist.”
Napier says it's also much faster than an office-based consultation.
“So, if people are on a waitlist to see a specialist, this is the way the doctor or nurse practitioner can consider using to get a specialist involved quite quickly,” said Napier, who added "Virtual Hallway' doesn't directly alleviate the family doctor shortage in Nova Scotia, but it does remove existing significant pressure points from within the health-care system.
“If a primary care provider is working with the patient and developing a treatment plan, this allows that doctor or nurse practitioner to have a conversation with a specialist.”
Erin Sarrazin says the process requires consent from patients to allow doctors and nurse practitioners to work on their behalf.
“I am able to come back to them and offer a solution, to either bridge them to an appointment while they're waiting to see a specialist," said Sarrazin, who is a nurse practitioner. "It can also potentially avoid having them see a specialist at all.”
Sarrazin said "Virtual Hallway" is an innovative solution that leads to incremental efficiencies within Nova Scotia's health-care system.
“Virtual care and using the technology that we have is going to be the future of health care," said Sarrazin. "Especially when you think about our province, when you think about the difficulty people have finding a health-care provider.“
Currently, about 500 primary care providers and more than 50 specialists in Nova Scotia are using "Virtual Hallway," with close to 100 consultations each week.
More information on platform can be found online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.