Slaintecare has committed to fund an extension to a first of its kind virtual ward for people with COPD in Donegal.
The Community Virtual Ward supports individuals in their own homes and has been recognised at European level for offering services as an alternate pathway to hospital based COPD care
The scheme was rolled out to 10 patients on a pilot basis last year. However, funding has now been secured to extend it to a two year, 20 bed virtual ward project.
Antoinette Doherty, an Advanced Nurse Practitioner working at the Chronic Disease Hub in Letterkenny says it will facilitate a more patient-centered approach to COPD care:
