How virtual in-home care is changing the game for Bendigo patients - 28/2/24
For 15 years Natalie Richardson has lived with chronic obstruction pulmonary disease, a lung disease which makes it hard to breather.
It has meant many trips to the GP and the hospital for the mum of four, but with the help from Bendigo Health's chronic disease team and a new in-home virtual program, Ms Richardson can manager her disease at home.
Ms Richardson has joined up for the remote patient monitoring program, which allows her to record her vitals, including blood oxygen, glucose, blood pressure, weight and temperature via an app on her phone. The data is sent to a registered nurse to monitor, who can provide education and support when the numbers don't show what they should.
Care in comfort of own home
Ms Richardson said it had resulted in less trips to the doctor and hospital. "It's so much easier and it's on hand." she said. "If I', feeling unwell, I'll just put on the (iHealth) blood pressure machine or whatever I need to do and its tells me. It saves waiting and booking an appointment and getting into the doctor, which is hard sometimes".
She said if she needed to go to the doctor or another hospital she could bring her phone and have all her data available.