Continuing Education Through Telemedicine for Ontario

Telemedicine for Ontario (TFO) is a continuing education program for health professionals. It is an interactive audio system, organized and operated by the five provincial medical schools, that is designed to offer otherwise unavailable educational programs to health professionals in northern or other isolated areas of Ontario. TFO has provided programs in three categories--medicine, nursing and allied health--and has covered a wide range of topics; the programs have been tailored to the stated needs and interests of the participants. By 1986 there were 199 sites throughout Ontario that participated regularly, and there were approximately 25,000 individual registrations in the 1985-86 seasons. Our results from this 3-year pilot study have indicated the feasibility of the medium and its acceptance by health professionals. The next stage of the program's evaluation will include analyses of its impact on clinical practice and on the health status of patients.