Delivery of pediatric sleep services via telehealth: the Alberta experience and lessons learned.
Concerns regarding a child's sleep, identified by a caregiver or by the health care practitioner, are commonly raised but often left unexplored. Families in geographically isolated areas, with limited access to specialty services such as pediatric sleep medicine, are at increased risk for unmet treatment needs. Telehealth is a potential vehicle for delivery of these specialty services and overcoming barriers in diagnosing and treating sleep disorders in children by improving access and enhancing support for the families in their communities. This article describes the initiation of a pilot program in the delivery of multidisciplinary pediatric sleep medicine services via telehealth in Alberta, Canada.
Stollery Children's Hospital Capital Health, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada. manishawitmans@capitalhealth.ca
Manisha B
MB
Witmans
Bruce
B
Dick
Jackie
J
Good
Greg
G
Schoepp
Cara
C
Dosman
Mary Ellen
ME
Hawkins
Rochelle
R
Young
Adrienne
A
Witol
D000293:Adolescent; D000416:Alberta; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D019114:Remote Consultation / Q000379:methods*; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome