Contemplating remote presence technology for culturally safe health care for rural indigenous children

Abstract

Indigenous children living in rural and remote Canada have limited access to paediatric specialty services. As such, they experience a high rate of medical transport out of their home communities. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action has prioritized access to health care that is culturally safe and community directed. Remote presence robotic technology—a novel form of telemedicine—seeks to overcome the barriers of distance and time to improve health care access. The robot allows for direct patient visualization, examination, and communication with local health care providers and family members. This intervention may reduce unnecessary paediatric transfers, and enhance culturally safe care in the child’s home community through timely access to paediatric subspecialty care.