The implementation of the CARE virtual ward has seen COPD admissions to Letterkenny University Hospital drop by 20%.
The community based programme sees the patient wearing a Bluetooth device which monitors their heart and respiratory rates, as well as their oxygen saturation.
The data is reviewed daily via a traffic-light triage system.
This enables early intervention when signs of deterioration appear and provides a step-down option after hospital discharge, reducing readmissions.
Antionette Doherty is an advanced nurse practitioner.
She says she believes there this could be rolled out for other chronic diseases:
