A global first for Community Care for COPD patients in Donegal

A first of its kind Community Virtual Ward was launched at the Tata Consultancy Services premises in Letterkenny, on Thursday.

The new innovative service gives community virtual ward support to individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

The services are offered as an alternate pathway to COPD care through the Community Virtual Ward bespoke platform. A community virtual ward platform that incorporated respiratory rate trends was designed, implemented and offered as an alternative to inpatient care in Donegal between May and August, this year, to a small group of suitable individuals.
The main aim was to explore the feasibility and clinical outcomes.
Ten patients known to specialist respiratory services with COPD were selected and admitted to the Community Virtual Ward for remote monitoring and optimisation of the existing care plan. The results were early identification of exacerbation through respiratory rate monitoring and the patient started treatment sooner as they had improved access to prescriptions for antibiotics
and steroids which was organised with relevant GP’s.
The patients were reviewed daily at the start of each shift by the advanced nurse practitioner. When a trend from normal became apparent the patient was contacted and their self-care management was assessed and advanced nursing support was provided as indicated on the day.

Nineteen courses of antibiotics and eight courses of oral steroids were dispensed to treat multiple episodes of acute exacerbation. None of the patients needed to be admitted for treatment of their condition. Improvements in health outcomes were also recorded.
The Community Virtual Ward offered an alternate pathway to COPD individuals, it facilitated early intervention and management of exacerbation. A significant increase in patients' ability to manage their health was displayed and the feedback indicated that patients loved this new care pathway and they displayed increased knowledge and understanding of their condition and
confidence to manage it.
The Head of Primary Care, Community Healthcare Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan and Sligo, Mandy Doyle, said: "The CARE programme is a fine example of how new pathways of care, new technological improvements and innovations can positively impact on the patient experience of healthcare. This innovation demonstrates the vision of Sláintecare in achieving the right care being available in the right place at the right time and given by the right team and most importantly enables patients to become increasingly empowered in the management of their healthcare.”

An Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Antoinette Doherty, said that the results and feedback from the patient prove that this alternate care pathway works: "The individuals living with COPD demonstrated higher levels of empowerment and improved knowledge and understanding of their condition. This integrated approach to patient care has enabled these individuals to remain at home while ill rather than in a hospital bed.

"The early detection of infection resulted in a lower acuity level of exacerbation which directly impacted quality of life. I would like to thank all those who participated in this service improvement and I hope that we will see more patients being offered this type of care here in Donegal and nationally as it can assist in reducing hospital admission for this group.”