EDMONTON — Albertans living in rural and remote parts of the province could have access to improved injury treatment thanks to virtual visits from urban clinicians using specialized robots as part of an ambitious University of Alberta-led research program.
Lauren Beaupre and her Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine colleague Martin Ferguson-Pell are leading a team that received a federal Transforming Health with Integrated Care CIHR Team Grant worth nearly $2 million. The money will support ARMS UP, Alberta’s Remote Management of Shoulders Program.
“This system not only improves diagnostic accuracy but also helps in building the expertise of rural health-care providers, reducing their professional isolation and fostering a community of practice where there is mutual learning and collaboration between urban and rural practitioners,” adds Beaupre.
A major practical challenge of the project is the installation of specialized telerehabilitation equipment in remote areas to create a clinic-to-home model that enhances the safety and effectiveness of clinical assessments. From there, the use of telepresence robots will allow urban clinicians to perform thorough assessments on a patient’s shoulder as if they were physically present.
“We hope to gradually shift more responsibilities to rural clinics, thereby enhancing local health-care capabilities and reducing dependence on urban-based specialists,” said Beaupre, adding the team is working on protocols for assessing other musculoskeletal conditions, including hips, knees and backs, and expanding into areas like stroke recovery.
To read the full story, click here.
To access video of robotic demonstrations of telerehabilitation, click here.
To see the telerehabilitation in action or to speak with Lauren Beaupre or Martin Ferguson-Pell, please contact:
Michael Brown, U of A media strategist
michael.brown@ualberta.ca | 780-977-1411