EDMONTON – Stollery Children's Hospital has become the first Alberta hospital to offer the Upopolis social network to their young patients.
Powered by Telus Health and created by Kids' Health Links Foundation (KHLF), Upopolis.com is Canada's only private, secure and trusted online social network designed for kids and teens receiving medical care in hospitals and clinics. The site offers access to medical content written in kid-friendly language so patients can better understand their diagnosis and treatment plan, plus enables connections with other patients who share similar diagnoses through public and private discussion groups.
In addition to remaining securely and privately connected with networks outside of the hospital or treatment centre, Upopolis also provides patients with familiar features of social networking such as personal profiles, newsfeed, instant chat, photo uploading and spaces based on common interests and/or diagnoses.
"Staying connected with family and friends while undergoing treatment is an important part of any healing process," said Telus Health president Paul Lepage, in the news release. "We strongly believe that technology drives better health outcomes for Canadians and by powering Upopolis with our innovative technology we not only help them learn more about their health, but also give caregivers comfort in knowing that young patients can experience these meaningful connections in a safe and secure environment throughout their care cycle."
Telus Health and KHLF launched the first Upopolis program in 2007 at McMaster Children's Hospital in Hamilton, ON and it has since expanded to 10 additional hospitals and health organizations across Canada. The Upopolis team and Telus Health also work together to adapt the program to meet the specific needs of each facility, such as adding French language capabilities or information specific to mental health.
