Improving Rural Care
Virtual care, provides patients with the opportunity to connect with their IBD healthcare provider through a secure online platform, using any form of communication or digital technology such as a telephone or video. This approach can offer patients access to a comprehensive team at an IBD Centre of Excellence. This team includes not only gastroenterologists, but also surgeons, nurses, dietitians, social workers, and other specialists, ensuring that all aspects of their care are covered.
Virtual care provides accessible care to a wide range of patients, including who live in rural and remote areas. When patients and IBD healthcare teams participate in virtual care, the benefits lead to saving stress, time and money related to travelling for appointments, receiving more timely medical treatments and interventions, and reducing wait times to see their IBD healthcare provider
Learn more about virtual care and IBD https://www.cfp.ca/content/70/1/39.short (web link)
Piloting the Canadian Network of Virtual Access to Specialists for IBD Program (CaNVAS-IBD)
The Canadian Network of Virtual Access to Specialists for IBD (CaNVAS-IBD) is a national pilot program to provide virtual care for individuals living with IBD in rural and remote areas across Canada.
Our virtual care hubs in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec aim to ensure patients have timely access to specialist care regardless of location. Each provincial virtual care hub is led by a gastroenterologist and IBD nurse to provide comprehensive IBD-related services.
Access more information about the CaNVAS-IBD pilot program https://www.canvasibd.ca/ (web link)
Publications
Virtual care in inflammatory bowel disease: Lessons learned in the CaNVAS-IBD Program
Dr. Geoffrey Nguyen and the team explain the benefits of the CaNVAS IBD pilot for patients residing in rural areas without easy access to IBD specialists.
Access the publication
https://www.cfp.ca/content/70/1/39.short
GI clinicians launch virtual care program that helps patients with IBD
Dr. Geoffrey Nguyen and the team discuss the advantages of the CaNVAS IBD program and share some early findings.
Access the publication
https://www.canhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Canadian-Healthcare-Technology-2023-04.pdf
Transforming Access to Specialist Care for Inflammatory Bowel Disease: The PACE Telemedicine Program
Dr. Geoffrey Nguyen and his research team describe the PACE Telemedicine program in Ontario.
Access the publication
https://doi.org/10.1093/jcag/gwy046
History
In 2016, Dr. Geoffrey Nguyen and his team at Sinai Health System launched a pilot test of an IBD telemedicine program in Ontario through the Ontario Telemedicine Network. The goal was to improve health outcomes for Canadians with IBD by connecting them with gastroenterologists at an IBD center of excellence.
In 2021, Dr. Nguyen's team expanded the Ontario telemedicine network to establish the CaNVAS-IBD pilot program, adding more IBD centers in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Quebec and Nova Scotia.
As of 2024, the CaNVAS-IBD pilot program is still underway.
Support the PACE Network
Donations to Crohn’s and Colitis Canada allow the PACE network to carry on its vital work and continue to find solutions to improve IBD care.
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Contact Information
To learn more about the PACE network, please contact us at research@crohnsandcolitis.ca .
The PACE network is supported by Crohn’s and Colitis Canada and our funding partners: