Sarnia Lambton residents suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Congestive Heart Failure now have access to an innovative approach to help them manage their care.
Erie St. Clair Community Care Access Centre Patient Services Manager Jennifer Jovanovski says people first need to be referred by a physician.
"We send one of our technicians into the home with a tablet that looks like an iPad," she explains. "A blood pressure monitor, a scale and an oxygen saturation monitor which goes right on the finger is supplied. They hook it up and teach the patient how to use all of that."
If the patient's readings fall outside the normal range, the Telehomecare nurse is alerted and can respond if needed.
Jovanovski says not only can patients feel in control of their chronic disease, data shows visits to hospital emergency rooms have been reduced by up to 48%.
