SHERWOOD PARK - Managing diabetes takes some planning and effort, but Lola Drew loves new technology that helps her medical-care team to keep an eye on how she's doing, without her having to leave her living room.
"By going on my computer, I can see by the graph that my blood sugars are up or down," Drew says. "As well as my readings, I can also type in any comments I'd like to make. Plus I don't have to go anywhere for the PCN to check my numbers. I can do this at home. With this idea, they have really helped me."
The Sherwood Park resident, who has Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes, joined a first-in-Alberta research project when it launched in the summer. The 74-year-old says the technology has made managing her chronic condition easier and more convenient.
The research project is a collaboration between the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Alberta, Alberta Health Services, and the Sherwood Park - Strathcona County Primary Care Network (PCN), with technology and project-management support from TELUS, TRLabs and TEC Edmonton.
The project is giving Sherwood Park-area diabetics the technology to have their blood-glucose levels monitored remotely by doctors and health professionals. During Phase 1 of the project, now underway, 30 diabetics enter their daily blood-glucose readings - measured from a pinprick drop of blood using a glucometer - into their online personal health record via a secure Internet connection.
With the patient's permission, physicians, nurses and home care professionals can monitor glucose levels daily to ensure blood sugars are well-controlled and to allow for quick action if they are not.
Phase 2 of the project, to begin in January, further simplifies the process. Glucose readings will be automatically transmitted into the patient's personal health record by wireless or USB glucometers, eliminating the need for the patient to type in the values.
"Enhancing home care supports through technology and other comprehensive services is a strategic priority for AHS," says Mike Conroy, Senior Vice President of AHS Edmonton Zone.
"Caring for people in their homes for as long as possible, with high-quality, accessible health services, is what seniors tell us they want. AHS and the Edmonton Zone are seeking to become a national leader in this area. This initiative is an example of this commitment."
Helping Albertans manage chronic disease is among the goals outlined in the 5-Year Health Action Plan, jointly developed by the Government of Alberta and AHS, and supported by the province's stable, 5-year funding.
The technology has the potential to help Alberta's 206,000 diabetics to better monitor and manage their chronic condition, reducing the number of preventable emergency department visits and hospitalizations.
The technology is also expected to give health professionals more time for patient care. At present, PCN nurses and home care staff can be on the road for up to an hour in order to spend a minute or two taking a blood-glucose reading at the home of patients who have mobility or transportation issues.
"This technology lets our staff spend more time with the people who need hands-on care, and ultimately, it allows more patients to be seen," says Dave Ludwick, General Manager of the Sherwood Park PCN .
Martin Ferguson-Pell, Dean of the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, says the technology can trigger action more quickly than sending a health professional to a patient's home.
"The reading pops up in the doctor's or nurse's office," says Ferguson-Pell. "They can log on, look at the values, and quickly intervene if the trend is not going in the right direction."
The six partners are all contributing existing resources to make this research project possible.
It will end next spring followed by a formal evaluation that will shape a similar research project, with a larger sample size.
About the University of Alberta Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine
As the only free standing faculty of rehabilitation in Canada, the University of Alberta Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine balances its activities among learning, discovery and citizenship (including clinical practice). A research leader in musculoskeletal health, spinal cord injuries and common spinal disorders (back pain), the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine aims to improve the quality of life of citizens in our community. The three departments, Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT) and Speech Pathology and Audiology (SPA) offer professional entry programs. The Faculty offers thesis-based MSc and PhD programs in Rehabilitation Science, attracting students from a variety of disciplines including OT, PT, SLP, psychology, physical education, medicine and engineering.