Information Communication Technology-Enabled Health Care at Home

Simon Brownsell, PhD, Research Fellow, School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, UK.
Elaine Biddiss, PhD, Scientist, Bloorview Research Institute, Bloorview Kids Rehab; Assistant Professor, Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, ON.
Mark Hawley, PhD, Professor, School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, UK.

The delivery of health care to people at home using information and communication technologies, often termed telecare, telehealth, or telehomecare, is set for rapid expansion. This article provides a brief overview of the applications and the evidence supporting its implementation. Relevant national policies in England and Canada are discussed, along with prominent examples of services and deployments. Finally, the links between research evidence, government policies, and service changes in primary care in the two countries are discussed.
Key words: telecare, telehealth, eHealth, telehomecare.