| Presenter Information: |
| Presenter 1: |
Name: William Campbell
Affiliation: Ontario Infant Hearing Program
Bill Campbell is a pediatric audiologist at the Thunder Bay District Health Unit in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. He is also the regional coordinator for the Ontario Infant Hearing Program. Bill graduated from the University of Western Ontario in London Ontario in 2000 with a Master's Degree in audiology. He is a regular guest lecturer at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, where he received his undergraduate degree in Psychology. Bill is also the past president of the Canadian Academy of Audiology. As the coordinator of the Ontario Remote Assessment program, Bill consults regularly with American colleagues on introducing telemedicine practices to audiology.
Bill resides in Thunder Bay with his wife, Marita and two sons, Bill and Michael.
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| Abstract Information: |
| Title: |
Telehealth Applications in a Provincial EHDI Program |
| Primary Track: |
2-Audiological Assessment and Intervention
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| Keyword(s): |
Telemedicine, Remote, Assessment, Telehealth |
Abstract: |
Telehealth Applications in a Provincial Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program
Campbell William, Hyde, Martyn.
Ontario Infant Hearing Program, Thunder Bay and Toronto ON, Canada.
This presentation describes the implementation of a pilot project intended to deliver infant hearing assessment to families in isolated, remote and rural areas of Ontario, Canada. In such areas, access to audiologists with the necessary training and skills are constrained due to geography and population base. In the Ontario Infant Hearing Program (IHP), hearing assessment protocols for infants who fail universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) include computer-based diagnostic testing with auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) and otoacoustic emissions (OAE), performed by specially trained audiologists. The project objective is to improve the accessibility and quality of such assessments.
The IHP audiologist is located at a “host” site and performs the assessment on the infant located at a “remote” site. The host site uses a videoconference and internet link to observe and to control the test equipment at the remote site. Currently, this project has successfully implemented assessments over a distance of about 380 km. Infants who would otherwise experience several barriers to access of services offered by the IHP are now being seen at an appropriate age.
Conclusions
The use of telemedicine to deliver computer-based assessment of hearing in infants was speculated about almost a decade ago but until recently, technical limitations had prevented implementation. The conjunction of the program environment, evolution in diagnostic instrumentation and access to high-bandwidth telemedicine networks, has resulted in the conjecture becoming a reality. The IHP now plans expansion of “remote” service access to several other locations in Ontario.
Additional benefits of this project include: audiologist training in IHP protocols, quality improvement such as by means of procedural audit, second opinion consultation, technical support and trouble-shooting of clinical instrumentation and systems. |
| Presentation(s): |
Not Available
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| Handouts: |
Not Available
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