Framework of guidelines

The Report of the Commission on the Future Telehealth has been described as one of the most promising aspects of the of Health Care in Canada Canadian health care system. [...] The role of the Advisory Committee also includes promoting the work of the project and facilitating uptake of the Framework of Guidelines. [...] Stakeholder Survey: The purpose of the stakeholder survey was to build upon the key issues and gaps identified by the research teams during the literature review phase of the environmental scan and to gain an overall understanding of the current status of policy, standards, and guidelines as they relate to telehealth practice in Canada. [...] Feedback from the survey, key informant interviews, and limited information from the telehealth literature indicated that the quality of communication in a telehealth setting can often be enhanced, compared to the traditional face-to-face encounter, if the health professional is appropriately oriented to the technical environment and the clinical application is conducive to the telehealth setting. [...] The reasons cited include: less distractions in the telehealth setting; greater effort by professional to ensure the quality and thoroughness of communication due to the “nature” of the consultation; and greater exchange of information due to the presence of other health care providers.