Developing the “Smart” Nursing Station eHealth Model in First Nation Remote and Isolated Communities.

Within Health Canada, the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB) in collaboration with First Nation and Inuit organizations and communities across Canada, share responsibility for the resourcing and servicing of health care for First Nation and Inuit.  Working with First Nation, Inuit and other partners FNIHB seeks to enable access to health services, address health barriers, improve health outcomes and attain health levels comparable to other Canadians living in similar locations.

Innovations in and the use of emerging information and communications technology (ICT) have rapidly increased in all development contexts, including health care.  It is believed that the use of appropriate technologies can increase the quality and reach of both information and communication.

Health Canada and its partners share a need and a will to strategically act through development of electronic infostructure that will help to improve care, increase and simplify access to health services and build social capital.  A central feature of this strategic direction is the development of electronic health infostructure.  Many First Nations communities are remote and isolated, small in population and served by Nursing Stations not yet equipped to leverage ICT.