U.S. and Non-U.S. Scholars

Fulbright New Century Scholars Program
Overview • Previous NCS Programs • NCS Scholar List • NCS Brochure • 2001-2002

Richard Scott

Associate Professor
University of Calgary
Health Telematics Unit
A Synthesis of International Regulatory Issues, Evaluation Criteria, and Technology Preparedness Impacting Telehealth
Canada

Richard Scott (Canada) is an Associate Professor in the Health Telematics Unit of the Department of Community Health Sciences, in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University. He has been recognised internationally for his expertise in telehealth, and serves as a Board and Founding Member of the Canadian Society of Telehealth (CST), and Chairperson of the CST Research Committee. He also remains active in several professional clinical chemistry and toxicology organizations.

Previously Dr. Scott served as Director for Research Services for the Atlantic Health Sciences Corporation, as Provincial Forensic Toxicologist for the New Brunswick Department of Justice, and as the clinical toxicologist for the Saint John Regional Hospital. Prior to that, Dr. Scott completed his training at the Mayo Medical School, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA; the University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; and the University of Plymouth / Plymouth Polytechnic, Plymouth, UK.

In his current capacity, Dr. Scott's primary research interests are: Understanding global regulatory and policy frameworks impacting telehealth; development of an evaluation framework(s) for telehealth initiatives, including telehealth applications in the delivery of health care and education; identifying appropriate and cost effective patient care strategies using telehealth; and identifying and defining suitable outcome indicators for evaluation of these strategies. He also maintains research interests in clinical and forensic aspects of therapeutic and illicit drug use and detection, and environmental and occupational health issues.

· Scott R.E. Standard Methods of Evaluating Telehealth Outcomes are Still Needed (2001). Canadian Healthcare Technology: 6(4);20.
· McCarthy, G.F., Scott R.E., Coates K., et al. Evaluating Telehealth 'Solutions' - A Review and Synthesis of the Telehealth Evaluation Literature (2000). Office of Health and the Information Highway, Health Canada. March.
· Scott, R.E., Coates, K., and McCarthy, G.F. The value of an Evaluation Framework for Telehealth Initiatives. (1991). In : The Impact of Telemedicine on Health Care Management, Eds. M. Nerlich and R. Kretschmer. IOS Press.

Health care resources (human and financial) are already stressed locally and globally. Telehealth (the practical application of information and communications technology [ICT] to health) has the potential to stretch these scarce resources farther, and may offer viable solutions to issues such as access, education, and improved public health. It is already a tool capable of projecting health care, health education, and health information across all existing geo-political and social boundaries, and even migrating health care from a parochial (one to one) to a societal (one to many / many to one) paradigm. But although telehealth holds the promise of tremendous innovation, its greatest limitations are likely to be those imposed upon it by individual cultures, societies, or countries.

For example, although regulatory issues (e.g. professional testing, certification, licensure, liability) are now being faced, this is occurring mainly within national (or even regional / state) boundaries alone. The same can be said for evaluation strategies and technological solutions. If different approaches are adopted for such common problems, artificial barriers will be created that will severely limit, or eliminate, the potential of telehealth. It is therefore imperative that awareness of current national strategies be raised so that informed debate and common / complimentary solutions can be sought.

To achieve this raised awareness, a clearer understanding is required of the needs, expectations, regulatory demands, and technological preparedness of countries worldwide. In meeting the objectives of the NCS program, this research will examine three key areas identified by the WHO - and echoed in the goals and concepts of the Fulbright program - as crucial to fulfilling the potential of telehealth: Policies and Standards (governance and accountability; regulatory environments); Evaluation Criteria (access to health care); and Technology Preparedness (development of new technologies).

The deeper understanding gained through this research will allow the most appropriate technology and telehealth solutions to be matched in each specific setting. In particular, attention will be given to identifying areas of commonality and disparity and, based on the answers, recommendations will be provided for embracing the opportunities presented by telehealth. The research will also serve to inform Fulbright program participants and future policy debate amongst health and telehealth stakeholders worldwide.

It is hoped that perspective and expertise in telehealth can be contributed to the NCS group as a whole in relation to studies of 'health in a borderless world'. In turn, it is hoped to gain valuable perspective and insight from other NCS projects, and perhaps identify other global health challenges where telehealth might be of specific value.