Health care is changing and so are the ways people access it. At London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), virtual care is no longer a future goal; it is a vital part of how patients are seen, heard, and supported today. In the past year, LHSC has embraced digital tools to bring care to more people, more easily – reducing wait times, removing obstacles, and putting patients at the centre of every interaction.
In partnership with St. Joseph’s Health Care London (St. Joseph’s), patients across our region are benefiting from expanded virtual care services that deliver high-quality support, education, and clinical follow-up – all from the comfort of home.
Meeting patients and families where they are
Patients like John Kain of Port Elgin, who was preparing for a third knee surgery, are benefitting from the advantages of virtual care, including virtual access to pre-operative appointments.
John attended a virtual pre-operative education session with 13 other patients. The session offered guidance on what to expect during surgery, how to prepare at home, and recovery tips.
“My experience and the surgery went exactly as was laid out during the session. I felt very prepared the day of my surgery,” says John.
For John, virtual care saved a two-and-a-half-hour round trip, reinforcing how technology can improve readiness for surgery while also reducing travel time, cost, and stress.
For young patients and their families, the convenience of virtual care has also been transformative. After 11-year-old Noah Batson was diagnosed with type I diabetes, the Batson family faced a demanding schedule of in-person appointments. When the opportunity to shift some of them to virtual visits became available, the impact was immediate.
“Knowing we have the option of a more convenient solution that won’t compromise Noah’s quality of care is excellent,” says Noah’s mother, Julie.
Bridging the digital divide
Recognizing that not all patients are comfortable with technology, LHSC and St. Joseph’s implemented a Digital Navigator program. These tech savvy professionals work one-on-one with patients to ensure a seamless virtual care experience. Their support includes setting up software, troubleshooting issues, and offering personalized help.
“Our primary role is to bridge the gap between patients and technology,” says Sam Ayoko, Digital Navigator at LHSC. “We want every patient to feel confident using virtual care.”
By empowering patients with the tools and knowledge they need to access care from anywhere, this program is helping to close the digital divide and improve equity in health-care delivery.
