A social action project, distance education, training and telehealth: New concepts in the health care system of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas

Due to the geographical layout of The Bahamas the provision of continuing education for health professionals who reside on the Family Islands is a major concern within the Ministry of Health. The project is designed to test the concept that distance education, delivered through a communication system, is an effectively vehicle for the provision of continuing education for health professionals residing on the Family Islands of The Bahamas. The other aim of the project is to make readily available specialists' teleconsultation to assist in the management of patients on remote island. A need assessment to determine the needs of the professionals was carried out. A questionnaire was designed to obtain information concerning the knowledge base of the practitioner about the technology as well as their views about distance education. Participants were invited to share their views about what should be the focus of the continuing education. This issued to the twenty-nine doctors and fifty-one nurses working on these islands. A letter of consent was sent with the questionnaire, also, the Director of Public Health requested the support of the health professionals in this venture. The data was analyzed and the results used in the development of instructional material, as well as to help in determining the mode for the continuing education.; Health technology assessment to determine the type of technology to use for the project was also conducted. This included literature reviews as well as attendance at demonstrations by vendors, and visits to places that use the technology to gain first hand information about the efficiency and effectiveness of the technology. The findings were then used to assist in the selection of the technology for continuing education and teleconsultation.; Manuals were also developed to guide the administration of the distance education and telehealth programmes. Policies were developed to provide guidance as well as to ensure quality control. Additionally, a comprehensive implementation and evaluation strategy was developed, since it was impossible for me to implement the programme. The focus of the implementation is on the selection and purchase of equipment, training of personnel, technical support, resources and conduction of continuing education and clinic sessions.; The focus of the evaluation is centered on quality, access, cost, acceptability and satisfaction of the physician. Evaluation tools in relation to each aspect of the evaluation were developed to solicit information.; The Final chapter speaks to the lesson learned many the many pitfalls that were encountered during the designing and planning phase of the project. These issues were related to the global picture and are discussed and recommendations made as to how to avoid or overcome them.