I probably shouldn’t be telling this story. It starts in 1968. According to (brilliant) researcher, surgeon and writer Atul Gawande, in that year, The Lancet published findings that represent one of the most important medical advances of the last century. It was just this: David R. Nalin and Richard A. Cash, American researchers in Dhaka during a cholera outbreak, added sugar to salt and water hydration and administered it orally to 29 patients. Cholera deaths: zero. Sugar, it seems, helps the gut absorb fluids. Cholera pandemics killed millions in the nineteenth century. Even after intravenous fluids reduced mortality to 30 per cent in the early years of the twentieth century, globally, most people died, especially in places where...

What a year it’s been for Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN)! With all the hard work, dedication and passion our partners and employees have devoted to delivering innovative telemedicine solutions, it comes to no surprise that telemedicine continues to grow both in scope and adoption. Last year alone, OTN supported more than 390,000 patient consultations, working with 1,300 healthcare organizations and more than 8,000 healthcare providers in 1,748 sites across Ontario. As a result, almost 260 million kilometers of patient travel was avoided. That represents nearly 330 trips to the moon and back! Telemedicine is truly transforming our healthcare system with a new model of care delivery – one that improves access, increases...

The next frontier for a sustainable health system is home and community care, according to Health Minister Dr. Eric Hoskins. At the recent Health Quality Ontario Transformation conference, Minister Hoskins talked about the need for a patient- and family-centred health system. Minister at #HQT2014 states next frontier is home & community health. @OTNtelemedicine Telehomecare can help us achieve this. — Angela Nickoloff (@2rhods) November 20, 2014 At OTN, we’re...