Our Research
Advancements in virtual care technology and artificial intelligence are transforming what was once considered science fiction into reality. The adaptive nature of this technology allows for integration with a wide range of services, opening new pathways to expand and enhance healthcare delivery for even the most isolated and vulnerable populations. As part of our strategy, our team has built a foundation of scientific research to support the safe and effective integration of virtual care technologies into our healthcare systems.
Research
Virtual Care Methodology
We have developed best practices for deploying virtual care in underserved regions.
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• Building Sustainable Virtual Healthcare Delivery in Indigenous Communities Through Capacity Building: A Case Study
• Two‑Eyed Seeing and artifcial intelligence: Enhancing healthcare delivery in Indigenous communities requires an ethical and culturally relevant public health framework
• Five Steps for the Deployment of Artificial Intelligence-Driven Healthcare Delivery for Remote and Indigenous Populations in Canada
• Standardizing Virtual Healthcare Deployment: Insights From the Implementation of Telerobotic Ultrasound to Bridge Healthcare Inequities in Rural and Remote Communities Across Canada
• A Comprehensive Evaluation Tool to Assess Community Capacity and Readiness for Virtual Care Implementation
• Virtual care delivery in Saskatchewan: Multi-stakeholder perspectives on implementation, appropriateness, and evaluation
• A Technology Selection Tool Applying Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis for Virtual Care Implementation
• Recommendations Regarding the Appropriateness of Virtual Care: A Systematic Review
• SCOPE and FRAME: Context-Specific Tools for Virtual Care Service Delivery in Rural and Remote Communities
Virtual Care Technology
We have been studying the use of virtual care and remote presence technology in providing primary and specialized care in several areas.
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• The Use of Remote Presence Robotic Tele-Presentation in Rural and Remote Canada: A Systematic Review
• Use of Virtual Care Strategies to Join Multidisciplinary Teams Evaluating Work-Related Injuries in Rural Residents
• Remote Presence Robotic Technology Reduces Need for Pediatric Interfacility Transportation from an Isolated Northern Community
• Initial Experience Using a Telerobotic Ultrasound System for Adult Abdominal Sonography
• A Comprehensive Evaluation Tool to Assess Community Capacity and Readiness for Virtual Care Implementation
• Case Report: Using a Remote Presence Robot to Improve Access to Physical Therapy for People with Chronic Back Disorders in an Underserved Community
• The Use of Remote Presence for Healthcare Delivery in a Northern Inuit Community: A Feasibility Study
• Mobile Remote-Presence Devices For Point-of-Care Healthcare Delivery
• Point-of-Care Programming for Neuromodulation: A Feasibility Study Using Remote Presence
Indigenous Health
For the past few years, we have been researching the use of remote presence technology in providing access to remote Indigenous populations in northern Saskatchewan.
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• Indigenous Community-Directed Needs Assessment for Rehabilitation Therapy Services
• Sociodemographic and Geographic Factors Associated With Non-Obstetrical Ultrasound Imaging Utilization: A Population-Based Study
• Use of Virtual Care Strategies to Join Multidisciplinary Teams Evaluating Work-Related Injuries in Rural Residents
• Sociodemographic and Geographic Factors Associated With Non-Obstetrical Ultrasound Imaging Utilization: A Population-Based Study
• A Telerobotic Ultrasound Clinic Model of Ultrasound Service Delivery to Improve Access to Imaging in Rural and Remote Communities
• Access to ultrasound imaging A qualitative study in two northern remote Indigenous communities in Canada
• Access to mammography among Indigenous peoples in North America
• Telerobotic Sonography for Remote Diagnostic Imaging
• Telerobotic Ultrasound to Provide Obstetrical Ultrasound Services Remotely During the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Enhancing access to care in northern rural communities via telehealth
• Contemplating remote presence technology for culturally safe health care for rural indigenous children
• Remote Presence Robotic Technology Reduces Need for Pediatric Interfacility Transportation from an Isolated Northern Community
• The use of technology to improve health care to Saskatchewan’s First Nations communities
• The use of remote presence for health care delivery in a northern Inuit community: a feasibility study
Telerobotic Ultrasound
Telerobotic ultrasound is a cornerstone technology in our remote presence model of healthcare. By enabling healthcare providers in isolated areas to quickly and easily transmit ultrasound images to specialists for timely detection, diagnosis, and monitoring of a wide range of conditions, such pregnancies, heart conditions, kidney stones, and certain cancers, overall patient experience and health outcomes are greatly improved.
We are currently investigating and evaluating the use of a novel telerobotic ultrasound clinic model to provide real-time sonography studies in remote locations in northern communities.
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• Enhancing Ultrasound Access in Rural Saskatchewan: A Mixed-Methods Study of Telerobotic Technology
• Advancing Antenatal Care in Ethiopia: The Impact of Tele-Ultrasound on Antenatal Ultrasound Access in Rural Ethiopia
• MSK-TIM: A Telerobotic Ultrasound System for Assessing the Musculoskeletal System
• Implementation and evaluation of a pilot antenatal ultrasound imaging programme using tele-ultrasound in Ethiopia
• Economic Evaluation of Telerobotic Ultrasound Technology to Remotely Provide Ultrasound Services in Rural and Remote Communities
• Sociodemographic and geographic disparities in obstetrical ultrasound imaging utilization a population-based study
• Sociodemographic and Geographic Factors Associated With Non-Obstetrical Ultrasound Imaging Utilization: A Population-Based Study
• A Telerobotic Ultrasound Clinic Model of Ultrasound Service Delivery to Improve Access to Imaging in Rural and Remote Communities
• Access to ultrasound imaging A qualitative study in two northern remote Indigenous communities in Canada
• Access to mammography among Indigenous peoples in North America
• Telerobotic Sonography for Remote Diagnostic Imaging
• Telerobotic Ultrasound to Provide Obstetrical Ultrasound Services Remotely During the COVID-19 Pandemic
• A Crossover Comparison of Standard and Telerobotic Approaches to Prenatal Sonography
• Initial Experience Using a Telerobotic Ultrasound System for Adult Abdominal Sonography
• Women’s and Providers’ Experiences with Telerobotic Ultrasound in Rural Prenatal Care
Pediatric Care
We have developed best practices for deploying virtual care in underserved regions.
Click the button below to access the publication PDFs
• Contemplating remote presence technology for culturally safe health care for rural indigenous children
• Remote Presence Robotic Technology Reduces Need for Pediatric Interfacility Transportation from an Isolated Northern Community
• Preliminary clinical algorithm to optimize remote delivery of pediatric concussion care in Canada’s North
Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation
With our partners in the School of Rehabilitation Sciences, we have been researching the use of remote presence technology in providing physiotherapy services to remote populations.
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• Effectiveness of an Interprofessional Assessment and Management Approach for People with Chronic Low Back Disorders Delivered Via Virtual Care: A Randomized Controlled Trial Pilot Intervention
• Use of Telehealth for Paediatric Rehabilitation Needs of Indigenous Children – A Scoping Review
• Community Directed Assessment of Pain in a Northern Saskatchewan Cree Community
• Development and Assessment of Learners’ Experiences with a Virtual Reality Learning Platform: Constructivist and Experiential Learning Pedagogies in Master of Physical Therapy Curriculum
• Community Engagement Integral to Reimagining Rural and Remote Physiotherapy in Saskatchewan: Findings from a World Café Multi-Stakeholder Event
• “Navigating Chaos”: Urban, Rural, and Remote Patient Experiences in Accessing Healthcare with Indigenous and non-Indigenous Perspectives of Living with Chronic Low Back Pain
• Indigenous Community-Directed Needs Assessment for Rehabilitation Therapy Services
• Use of Virtual Care Strategies to Join Multidisciplinary Teams Evaluating Work-Related Injuries in Rural Residents
• Experience of patients and practitioners with a team and technology approach to chronic back disorder management
• Case Report: Using a Remote Presence Robot to Improve Access to Physical Therapy for People with Chronic Back Disorders in an Underserved Community
Lifeline Mental Health App
Mental health challenges in Northern Saskatchewan, characterized by high rates of mental illness and suicide, especially among Indigenous populations, highlight the urgent need for accessible, continuous care. Geographic isolation, limited mental health resources, and fragmented post-discharge support exacerbate these issues. LifeLine™ addresses these gaps through a mobile application providing ongoing emotional and clinical support, enhancing patient engagement, and streamlining care coordination.
LifeLine™ leverages innovative AI-driven features such as the Pimâtisiwin chatbot for emotional support, real-time virtual consultations with mental health clinicians, automated medication management, appointment scheduling, mood journaling, and standardized mental health questionnaires. These tools enable continuous monitoring and early intervention, significantly reducing risks of relapse and hospital readmissions. Additionally, the app includes gamification elements to motivate regular engagement, fostering proactive mental health management. Ultimately, LifeLine™ promotes equitable healthcare access, improves mental health outcomes, and aligns with Saskatchewan’s priorities for healthcare transformation, delivering comprehensive support tailored specifically for remote and underserved communities.
