Virtual care with digital technologies for rural and remote Canadians living with cardiovascular disease

Abstract

Canada is a wealthy nation with a geographically diverse population, seeking health innovations to better serve patients in accordance with the Canada Health Act. In this country, population and geography converge with social determinants, policy, procurement regulations, and technological advances, in order to achieve equity in the management and distribution of healthcare. Rural and remote patients are a vulnerable population; when managing chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, there is inequity when it comes to accessing specialist physicians at the recommended frequency—increasing the likelihood of poor health outcomes. Ensuring equitable care for this population is an unrealized priority of several provincial and federal government mandates. Virtual care technology may provide practical, economical, and innovative solutions to remedy this discrepancy. Here we review the literature pertaining to the use of virtual care technologies to monitor patients with cardiovascular disease living in rural areas of Canada. A search strategy was developed to identify the literature specific to this context across three bibliographic databases. 166 unique citations were ultimately assessed for eligibility, of which 36 met the inclusion criteria. In our assessment of these articles, we provide a summary of the interventions studied, their reported effectiveness in reducing adverse events and mortality, the challenges to implementation, and the receptivity of these technologies amongst patients, providers and policy makers. Further, we glean insight into the barriers and opportunities to ensure equitable care for rural patients and conclude that there is an ongoing need for clinical trials assessing virtual care technologies in this context.SummaryPatients living in rural and remote communities’ experience diverse challenges to receiving equitable healthcare as is mandated by the Canada Health Act. Advances in virtual care technology may provide practical, economical, and innovative solutions to ensure this for patients in remote and rural living situations. Here we provide a state-of-the-art review of virtual care technologies available to patients with cardiovascular disease living in rural areas of Canada.