Ontario Telemedicine Program

The Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN) is one of the largest telemedicine networks in the world, helping to deliver clinical care and distance education among health care professionals and patients using live, two-way videoconferencing systems, and related diagnostic equipment.

In addition to its ability to bring health care to virtually any patient, anywhere, at any time, OTN also enhances opportunities for professional development for physicians, interdisciplinary health care professionals, and students.

Nearly 3,000 health care professionals in more than 1000 sites across the province use OTN to deliver care to their patients.  This year, OTN will deliver more than 100,000 patient visits.

The GBFHT joined the Ontario Telemedicine Program (OTN) in March 2009.

This technology gives our local patients access to many different types of Specialists who ordinarily would be a 2-hour (or more) drive away. 

There are over 50 specialties available, including: Psychiatry, Dermatology, General Surgery (for pre- and post-op appointments), Paediatrics, and other specialties that are not available locally.

The Store Forward Dermatology Program is also available through our office allowing patients to have skin issues looked at by a Dermatologist remotely.  A Registered Nurse/Nurse Practitioner is also now available to do punch biopsies as part of the Store Forward program.

For more information on OTN please visit - www.otn.ca 

Our OTN clinic is co-ordinated by Katrine McCarl, RN. 

Our office does run regularly scheduled specialty clinics with the following physicians:

Dr. MacFadyen (internist seeing Diabetic patients) - the first Wednesday afternoon of every month for follow up appointments.

Dr. Salam (endocrinologist) - the first Tuesday morning of each month for initial appointments as well as follow ups

Dr. Rajkhowa (Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist) - the first three Fridays of each month for initial appointments as well as followups.

For more information please call our office at 705-444-5885 or email info@gbfht.ca.

C Difficile Update

This link will allow you to view the one hour archived webcast presentation on C Difficile that was hosted via the Ontario Telemedicine Network on August 4th, 2011.  In light of the recent outbreaks this presentation was organized by Dr. Mark Quigg, RN Katrine McCarl and OTN staff and broadcast over telemedicine to reach the entire province.  Dr. Susy Hota, an Infectious Disease Specialist at UHN - and an excellent speaker - made the presentation very interesting.