DEFINITION

Virtual Care refers to the use of communications technology (e.g., videoconference, telephone, or email) to provide healthcare services (e.g., patient education) at a distance where the healthcare professional and the patient/client are not in the same physical location. It may also involve situations where the healthcare service is not being given by the healthcare professional and received by the patient/client at the same time (i.e., not in real-time). As a result, this constitutes a therapeutic RT-patient relationship, and all applicable legislation applies.