untitled

A question for Minister of Health Pat Atkinson:

How much money is Telehealth costing?

Nipawin - March 16, 2000 - By: Mario deSantis

$1.5 million
for the second phase of Northern Telehealth
Pilot Project With news releases dated March 3, 2000, Pat Atkinson approved the April 1, 1999 to March 31,

2000 budgets for some 21 health districts⁽¹⁾. I became alarmed by the fact these budgets were

approved in the same month the related fiscal year was ending. Therefore, I became curious to

find out how long it took for the previous year budgets to be approved. I checked the governmental

web site for news releases and for the year 1999 and 1998 I found no mentioning of any approval

of any budget for any districts. It is obvious that the processes to approve the districts' budgets have

been changing in the last few years. As I was searching through the governmental web site, I came

across an interesting news release dated December 4, 1998 mentioning the funding of $1.5 million

for the second phase of Northern Telehealth Pilot Project⁽²⁾. If $1.5 million were mentioned for

the second phase of this pilot project I should suspect that somemore millions of dollars could

have been allocated to the first phase of this pilot project.

eight sites This pilot project was intended to link patients and care providers at eight sites in the Northwest,

Keewatin Yathe Mamawetan, Churchill River, Battlefords, Prince Albert and Saskatoon health

districts.

(SHIN)
will
provide assistance In announcing the second phase of this project, Minister of Health Pat Atkinson said "This project

will improve health services for patients and health providers in rural and northern Saskatchewan.

People from the north will be able to visit a facility in La Ronge and receive services as if they had

visited a specialist's office in centres such as Prince Albert or Saskatoon." Pat Atkinson also stated

that "Telehealth has the potential to significantly improve the way we deliver health services now

and into the next century." She concluded the news release stating that the Saskatchewan Health

Information Network (SHIN) will provide assistance on the development of this pilot project.

Telehealth to another technological flushing of the toilette Now, we already know that SHIN diverted money from its mandate to assist the districts in the

Y2K nightmare⁽³⁾, and we also know that some $40 million have been flushed down the toilette⁽⁴⁾.

Therefore, at this point of writing we can realize how the assisting crappy hand of SHIN has

turned Telehealth to another technological flushing of the toilette, just like the previous secretive

pilot project Stargarden healthcare payroll⁽⁵⁾. Let us see what kind of documentation we have to

support our claim that Telehealth is another crap assembled by our Big Brains⁽⁶⁾ headed by Brian

Rourke⁽⁷⁾, the Supreme Asset of the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO).

Telehealth system will
be fully operational
in June 1999 The news release dated December 4, 1998 states that the Telehealth system will be fully

operational in June 1999. The districts' budgets 1999-2000 approved on March 3, 2000 include

the Mamawetan and the Northwest districts. In approving the Mamawetan's budget, Pat Atkinson

says "I am particularly pleased to see the district continuing to advance the Telehealth project."

The approval of the budget for the Northwest district includes the statement by Board Chair

Dale Green "The Telehealth Project has helped district residents get faster access to specialty

services without having to leave the district."

double-talking is a true mark of political excellency I find these two references to Telehealth contradictory, the first reference implies that the project

is not completed, the second reference implies that the project is completed. This diverse

double-talking is a true mark of political excellency of our astute politicians, they don't want to be

caught lying, so one politician says something, the other says another thing, and when they are put

into a corner they eventually flip-flop⁽⁸⁾. Flip-flopping is the politically correct term for what a

decent person knows as straight lying.

their Telehealth project is another pilot project In mid May 1999, Associate Health Minister Judy Junor, in reviewing the impending i

mplementation of the Telehealth system linking Nipawin with Cumberland House stated "It's

going to be a significant change in how health services are delivered in remote areas, and in

particular in the north⁽⁹⁾." Nipawin and Cumberland House are not part of the districts included in

the Northern Telehealth Pilot Project and therefore their Telehealth project is another pilot project.

two independent pilot projects. Believe it or not, we have definitely two independent pilot projects. This is another invention of our

bureaucrats, for them the term pilot doesn't mean economically feasible, for them pilot means to

give governmental money to their friends⁽¹⁰⁾ and this is why we have two pilot projects to

accomplish the same purpose: flush more money into the toilette. Anyhow, the Telehealth system

linking Nipawin to Cumberland House is supposed to be operational to day⁽¹¹⁾, March 15, 2000,

but referring to the past experiences of our Big Brains I doubt about it.

Telehealth not only is an obsolete technology It is a fact that Telehealth not only is an obsolete technology, but it is costing the province millions

of dollars. Further, rural Saskatchewan has the know-how to implement superior Internet compatible

technologies linking remote sites⁽¹²⁾ and it is therefore penalized, first because money is going

down the toilette, second because that money is not circulated in rural Saskatchewan but in urban

centre or in the US, third because this wasting of money deprives rural Saskatchewan for the

opportunity to diversify its economy.

how much money Honourable Pat Atkinson, I have this question for you: how much money has been spent so far

for Telehealth, and how much more money do you intend to flush into the toilette?

---------------Endnotes:

Quote by Donella Meadows "challenging a paradigm is not a part-time job. It is not sufficient to make your point once and then blame the world for not getting it. The world has a vested interest in, a commitment to, not getting it. The point has to be made patiently and repeatedly, day after day after day" ftp://sysdyn.mit.edu/ftp/sdep/Roadmaps/RM1/D-4143-1.pdf http://iisd1.iisd.ca/pcdf/meadows/default.htm

General reference: Articles by Mario deSantis published by North Central Internet News http://www.ftlcomm.com/ensign/authors/desantis.html

1.
Government News Release, Health - 86, March 3, 2000 http://www.gov.sk.ca/newsrel/2000/03/

2.
-
-
HEALTH MINISTER ANNOUNCES NEXT PHASE OF TELEHEALTH PILOT PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, Government News Release, Health 98 - 896, Dec 04, 1998 http://www.gov.sk.ca/newsrel/1998Dec/896.98120401.html

3.
-
Saskatchewan Health Information Network-SHIN: Ignoring its mandate and diverting money for the Y2K Nightmare, by Mario deSantis, November 3, 1999

4.
-
What Happened to the Saskatchewan Health Information Network (SHIN)? By Mario deSantis, June 10, 1999

5.
-
-
Letter dated April 28, 1997 from Mario deSantis directed to all Chairpersons and Chief Executive Officers of Saskatchewan District Health Boards. Re: Computerization of Health Care Payroll and Economic Policies. http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/desam/paper-letterToChairsCEOs-Apr28-97.htm

6.
Healthcare Payroll and SAHO's Big Brains, by Mario deSantis, November 20, 1999

7.
-
Brian Rourke wants more healthcare money: 40% of public expenditures are not enough, by Mario deSantis, November 14, 1999

8.
-
Premier Roy Romanow flip-flops on Farm Aid and confirms his hypocrisy, by Mario deSantis, February 28, 2000

9.
-
Technological changes in Saskatchewan health care: an abysmal disaster, by Mario deSantis, May 27, 1999

10.
Governments must stop to serve themselves and their friends, by Mario deSantis, February 12, 2000

11.
-
Technology provides health link to Cumberland House, CBC Saskatchewan http://sask.cbc.ca/ Web Posted | Mar 8 2000 4:37 PM

12.
-
-
-
-
-
Worldwide Developer's Conference Begins Today, FTLComm - San Jose - May 10, 1999 by: Timothy W. Shire "...Through the wonders of QuickTime 4.0 I was able to attend the Keynote address at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose California and listen as interim CEO Steve Jobs and head of software development Avie Trevanian outline Apple's present strategy...". Published in the North Central Internet News http://www.ftlcomm.com/ensign/computer_today/worldwidedev/worldwidedev.html

A question for Minister of Health Pat Atkinson: How much money is Telehealth costing?
*Nipawin - March 16, 2000 - By: Mario deSantis*



$1.5 million for the second phase of Northern Telehealth Pilot Project	With news releases dated March 3, 2000, Pat Atkinson approved the April 1, 1999 to March 31,
	2000 budgets for some 21 health districts⁽¹⁾. I became alarmed by the fact these budgets were
	approved in the same month the related fiscal year was ending. Therefore, I became curious to
	find out how long it took for the previous year budgets to be approved. I checked the governmental
	web site for news releases and for the year 1999 and 1998 I found no mentioning of any approval
	of any budget for any districts. It is obvious that the processes to approve the districts' budgets have
	been changing in the last few years. As I was searching through the governmental web site, I came
	across an interesting news release dated December 4, 1998 mentioning the funding of $1.5 million
	for the second phase of Northern Telehealth Pilot Project⁽²⁾. If $1.5 million were mentioned for
	the second phase of this pilot project I should suspect that somemore millions of dollars could
	have been allocated to the first phase of this pilot project.

eight sites	This pilot project was intended to link patients and care providers at eight sites in the Northwest,
eight sites	Keewatin Yathe Mamawetan, Churchill River, Battlefords, Prince Albert and Saskatoon health
	districts.

(SHIN) will provide assistance	In announcing the second phase of this project, Minister of Health Pat Atkinson said "This project
	will improve health services for patients and health providers in rural and northern Saskatchewan.
	People from the north will be able to visit a facility in La Ronge and receive services as if they had
	visited a specialist's office in centres such as Prince Albert or Saskatoon." Pat Atkinson also stated
	that "Telehealth has the potential to significantly improve the way we deliver health services now
	and into the next century." She concluded the news release stating that the Saskatchewan Health
	Information Network (SHIN) will provide assistance on the development of this pilot project.

Telehealth to another technological flushing of the toilette	Now, we already know that SHIN diverted money from its mandate to assist the districts in the
	Y2K nightmare⁽³⁾, and we also know that some $40 million have been flushed down the toilette⁽⁴⁾.
	Therefore, at this point of writing we can realize how the assisting crappy hand of SHIN has
	turned Telehealth to another technological flushing of the toilette, just like the previous secretive
	pilot project Stargarden healthcare payroll⁽⁵⁾. Let us see what kind of documentation we have to
	support our claim that Telehealth is another crap assembled by our Big Brains⁽⁶⁾ headed by Brian
	Rourke⁽⁷⁾, the Supreme Asset of the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO).

Telehealth system will be fully operational in June 1999	The news release dated December 4, 1998 states that the Telehealth system will be fully
	operational in June 1999. The districts' budgets 1999-2000 approved on March 3, 2000 include
	the Mamawetan and the Northwest districts. In approving the Mamawetan's budget, Pat Atkinson
	says "I am particularly pleased to see the district continuing to advance the Telehealth project."
	The approval of the budget for the Northwest district includes the statement by Board Chair
	Dale Green "The Telehealth Project has helped district residents get faster access to specialty
	services without having to leave the district."

double-talking is a true mark of political excellency	I find these two references to Telehealth contradictory, the first reference implies that the project
	is not completed, the second reference implies that the project is completed. This diverse
	double-talking is a true mark of political excellency of our astute politicians, they don't want to be
	caught lying, so one politician says something, the other says another thing, and when they are put
	into a corner they eventually flip-flop⁽⁸⁾. Flip-flopping is the politically correct term for what a
	decent person knows as straight lying.

their Telehealth project is another pilot project	In mid May 1999, Associate Health Minister Judy Junor, in reviewing the impending i
	mplementation of the Telehealth system linking Nipawin with Cumberland House stated "It's
	going to be a significant change in how health services are delivered in remote areas, and in
	particular in the north⁽⁹⁾." Nipawin and Cumberland House are not part of the districts included in
	the Northern Telehealth Pilot Project and therefore their Telehealth project is another pilot project.

two independent pilot projects.	Believe it or not, we have definitely two independent pilot projects. This is another invention of our
	bureaucrats, for them the term pilot doesn't mean economically feasible, for them pilot means to
	give governmental money to their friends⁽¹⁰⁾ and this is why we have two pilot projects to
	accomplish the same purpose: flush more money into the toilette. Anyhow, the Telehealth system
	linking Nipawin to Cumberland House is supposed to be operational to day⁽¹¹⁾, March 15, 2000,
	but referring to the past experiences of our Big Brains I doubt about it.

Telehealth not only is an obsolete technology	It is a fact that Telehealth not only is an obsolete technology, but it is costing the province millions
	of dollars. Further, rural Saskatchewan has the know-how to implement superior Internet compatible
	technologies linking remote sites⁽¹²⁾ and it is therefore penalized, first because money is going
	down the toilette, second because that money is not circulated in rural Saskatchewan but in urban
	centre or in the US, third because this wasting of money deprives rural Saskatchewan for the
	opportunity to diversify its economy.

how much money	Honourable Pat Atkinson, I have this question for you: how much money has been spent so far
how much money	for Telehealth, and how much more money do you intend to flush into the toilette?

---------------Endnotes:

	Quote by Donella Meadows "challenging a paradigm is not a part-time job. It is not sufficient to make your point once and then blame the world for not getting it. The world has a vested interest in, a commitment to, not getting it. The point has to be made patiently and repeatedly, day after day after day" ftp://sysdyn.mit.edu/ftp/sdep/Roadmaps/RM1/D-4143-1.pdf http://iisd1.iisd.ca/pcdf/meadows/default.htm

	General reference: Articles by Mario deSantis published by North Central Internet News http://www.ftlcomm.com/ensign/authors/desantis.html

1.	Government News Release, Health - 86, March 3, 2000 http://www.gov.sk.ca/newsrel/2000/03/

2. - -	HEALTH MINISTER ANNOUNCES NEXT PHASE OF TELEHEALTH PILOT PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, Government News Release, Health 98 - 896, Dec 04, 1998 http://www.gov.sk.ca/newsrel/1998Dec/896.98120401.html

3. -	Saskatchewan Health Information Network-SHIN: Ignoring its mandate and diverting money for the Y2K Nightmare, by Mario deSantis, November 3, 1999

4. -	What Happened to the Saskatchewan Health Information Network (SHIN)? By Mario deSantis, June 10, 1999

5. - -	Letter dated April 28, 1997 from Mario deSantis directed to all Chairpersons and Chief Executive Officers of Saskatchewan District Health Boards. Re: Computerization of Health Care Payroll and Economic Policies. http://www3.sk.sympatico.ca/desam/paper-letterToChairsCEOs-Apr28-97.htm

6.	Healthcare Payroll and SAHO's Big Brains, by Mario deSantis, November 20, 1999

7. -	Brian Rourke wants more healthcare money: 40% of public expenditures are not enough, by Mario deSantis, November 14, 1999

8. -	Premier Roy Romanow flip-flops on Farm Aid and confirms his hypocrisy, by Mario deSantis, February 28, 2000

9. -	Technological changes in Saskatchewan health care: an abysmal disaster, by Mario deSantis, May 27, 1999

10.	Governments must stop to serve themselves and their friends, by Mario deSantis, February 12, 2000

11. -	Technology provides health link to Cumberland House, CBC Saskatchewan http://sask.cbc.ca/ Web Posted \| Mar 8 2000 4:37 PM

12. - - - - -	Worldwide Developer's Conference Begins Today, FTLComm - San Jose - May 10, 1999 by: Timothy W. Shire "...Through the wonders of QuickTime 4.0 I was able to attend the Keynote address at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose California and listen as interim CEO Steve Jobs and head of software development Avie Trevanian outline Apple's present strategy...". Published in the North Central Internet News http://www.ftlcomm.com/ensign/computer_today/worldwidedev/worldwidedev.html