Latest / Morning Medical with Dr. Chow / Nova Scotia's Health App, Telehealth Shifts, and New Hospital Tech

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Nova Scotia's Health App, Telehealth Shifts, and New Hospital Tech · Morning Medical with Dr. Chow

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Good morning, and welcome to Morning Medical with Doctor Chow, your daily dose of the latest
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medical and health news from around the world.
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I am Doctor Cheming Chow, a cardiologist and professor of medicine at the University of
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Toronto.
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Today, we have a range of important topics to cover.
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From advancements in telehealth to challenges faced by individuals with intellectual or
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developmental disabilities.
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But first, let's dive into an exciting development in Nova Scotia's health care
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system.
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A mobile phone application called Your Health NS is now providing Nova Scotia with enhanced
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access to their health records and information related to hospital visits.
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This expansion follows a successful $2, 000, 000 pilot project that began in February and
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involved 15 family doctors and 7 nurse practitioners across 6 clinics.
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The pilot project successfully assisted nearly 14, 000 patients in accessing their health
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records through the app.
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Nova Scotia Health Minister, Michelle Thompson expressed optimism about the app's potential.
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In Nova Scotia, we have chosen to embrace innovation and digital health.
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She said during a news conference in Halifax, An evaluation of the pilot found that an
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impressive 98% of users said they would continue to use the app.
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And 60% felt more involved in their health care decisions.
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Interestingly, 30% reported that having access to their records allowed them to skip a visit
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to their primary health care provider.
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Health officials later revealed that a 173 participants had completed the feedback survey.
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Initially launched in November, the Your Health NS app enabled patients to book blood tests, x
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rays, flu shots, and COVID 19 vaccine appointments.
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Following the success of the pilot project, the province decided to extend the to everyone aged
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16 and older with a valid health card.
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However, the health officials did not provide specific data on how many of that the province
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will not be tracking individual usage to protect people's privacy.
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If people want to have access to their records, that's available to them.
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And if they do not, than the choices there for them to bypass.
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She explained.
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I cannot imagine that it would be of no benefit to anybody.
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It is going to empower people to understand their health in a different way.
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Officials did confirm that 300, 000 Nova Scotia have downloaded the app since its introduction,
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making it a popular tool for quickly booking services, getting information, and finding
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available health care.
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With the new rollout, patients across the province can now access information on hospital
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visits and stays medications, immunizations, and lab test results, including blood, urine,
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and general medical testing.
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Additionally, diagnostic imaging results, such as magnetic resonance imaging MRI, computed
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tomography, CT, scans, and X rays are also accessible through the app.
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Thompson also announced that records from IWK Health are now available and information from
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visits with family doctors and nurse practitioners should be accessible on the app
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by the end of September.
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The initial introduction of the app came at a cost of $10, 000, 000, and the newly announced
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expansion will require an additional $5, 000, 000 which includes expenses related to the
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pilot project.
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While the app has been generally well received, not everyone is completely satisfied.
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Susan LeBlanc, the new Democratic party caucus spokesperson for health, acknowledged the app's
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utility, but stressed the need for more primary care providers for the 160, 000 patients who
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currently lack a family doctor.
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LeBlanc also expressed concern over the absence of metrics to track the app's usage.
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We need to have some metrics and some data to make sure that we know that this is a good use
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of public money, she said.
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Volunteers who contributed to the design of the app are enthusiastic about its potential
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benefits.
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Carol McDougall, who manages rheumatoid arthritis with various medications, highlighted
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the app's usefulness for patients with chronic diseases.
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It is possible for me to understand the care that I need better when I have access to this
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information.
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She said.
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So I am thrilled.
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She also noted that the app places Nova Scotia on par with other provinces that have been
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providing similar services for years.
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Another volunteer Judy Porter shared her excitement about being able to track her blood
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work.
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Will be amazing to be able to go in and see that, said Porter.
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Often, I go to the doctor and they will ask me a question like Why are you not on this
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medication anymore?
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I do not remember because I am on multiple medications.
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I do not have just 1 that I have been on for 15 years.
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During the pandemic, telehealth services were indispensable.
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However, as we settle into a post pandemic world, the landscape of health care is shifting
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once again.
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On Tuesday, July 2nd, Oregon Health And Science University made headlines by cutting a
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telehealth nursing unit that had been established in March 2020.
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This unit was once featured prominently on the university's website for its invaluable service
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to people across the state.
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The closure of this unit is indicative of broader changes in how consumers are accessing
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health care with telehealth services experiencing a decline while artificial
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intelligence and in person visits are on the rise.
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Robin Glass, president of virtual care and health navigation company included health,
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provided some insights into this trend.
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I think the simplest way to say what we're seeing right now is we're observing the
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shriveling of telehealth 1.0.
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Glass told fierce health care.
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This original model that I think came out that was really premised on this highly
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transactional interaction between a patient and the clinician that didn't have any elements of
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longitudinal care or treating that individual as a holistic person.
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I think we're starting to see the end of the road for that model.
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It has not served the patient as well as it needs to.
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Glass added.
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I think it also doesn't reflect the modern experience that consumers are getting used to
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in all facets of their life.
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And ultimately, it doesn't deliver on the kind of value that purchases need out of their
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health care dollar.
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This sentiment is becoming more common in the marketplace, although not everyone agrees with
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glass.
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Telehealth as a business model has definitely faced setbacks.
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Amazon recently consolidated its paper visit telehealth service, and its 1 medical program
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into a single brand, now known as Amazon, 1 medical paper visit.
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While Amazon did not specifically cite a decline in telehealth visits as the driving
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factor, Neil Lindsey senior vice president of Amazon Health Services indicated that in
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personal care made it difficult for patients to see the value in the service.
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Similarly, Walmart shut down its telehealth venture on April 30th, selling the division to
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health care technology startup fabric.
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Fabric, which rebranded from Florence in early 2023, aims to enhance clinical and
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administrative tasks through automation and artificial intelligence.
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Despite these setbacks, not all companies are abandoning telehealth.
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Fabrics acquisition of Walmart's and MeMD division is a testament to this.
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MeMD had been delivering virtual care services to 30, 000 employers and 5, 000, 000 employees,
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including large employers, brokers, third party administrators, and distributors.
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Fabric offers a telemedicine platform for health designed to streamline workflows for
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both in person and virtual patient visits.
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These products range from patient intake to self scheduling and provider documentation
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tools, leveraging conversational artificial intelligence to enhance both provider and
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patient experiences while boosting operational efficiency.
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Technological solutions like those being developed by fabric are likely to shape the
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future of telehealth which will increasingly incorporate artificial intelligence and even
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virtual reality.
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For instance, Crescent Regional Hospital near Dallas has introduced an innovative technology
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called the hollow box, a three-dimensional system that projects a life-sized hologram of a
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doctor for real time consultations.
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Developed by Dutch Firm hollow connects.
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This 86 inch tall device requires only electricity and an internet connection.
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The hollow box features anti glare glass, a transparent liquid crystal display screen, hi
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fi speakers, and a multi touch operating system.
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It can display prerecorded or live video of doctors, thereby enhancing patient engagement.
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Steve Sterling, Holler Connect's North American Managing Director, emphasized the revolutionary
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potential of the hollow box in an interview with a local Dallas television station.
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The system provides real time access to specialists, saving valuable time for doctors,
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Sterling said.
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Crescent Regional Hospital is the 1st hospital in the United States to adopt this technology
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with plans to expand its use in rural and underserved areas.
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Hollow Connects aims to deploy smaller portable versions to broaden its impact.
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According to the latest numbers from the Centers for Disease Control And Prevention,
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autism and developmental disabilities are on the rise.
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A doctor who specializes in this field says that individuals with intellectual or
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developmental disabilities face a serious gap in health care services.
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Doctor Craig Escudet, a specialist in this field, highlighted the significant lack of
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training that medical students receive in identifying and communicating with people
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diagnosed with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
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The first thing is awareness.
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Including awareness of health care providers about the need to learn about health care for
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people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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Doctor Escoude said.
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Doctor E's Escuday pointed out that health care education has not kept up with the rising
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number of diagnoses.
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According to the Centers for Disease Control And Prevention, 1 in 36 children are now
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diagnosed with autism, and 1 in 6 children are diagnosed with a developmental disability.
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1 of the critical issues doctor Escuday mentioned is diagnostic overshadowing.
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A term used to describe when early signs and symptoms of a treatable condition are
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attributed to a person's overall intellectual disability.
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This often leads to missed diagnoses and inadequate treatment.
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Doctor Yao emphasized that medical schools do not include mandated training on how to
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identify or communicate with patients who have intellectual or developmental disabilities.
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I can speak from my own personal experience as a family physician.
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I had no training in medical school or residency about how to provide good health care
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for people with IDD.
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He added.
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Studies show that many clinicians feel uncomfortable and incapable of providing the
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same level of health care to people with disabilities as they do to those without
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disabilities.
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This gap in training and comfort can lead to significant disparities in health care outcomes
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for these individuals.
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As we continue to face the growing threat of extreme wildfires, it's crucial to be aware of
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the impact of wildfire smoke on our health.
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And the steps we can take to protect ourselves.
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This week, more than 20, 000 people in Northern California evacuated their homes as flames
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destroyed houses and cars.
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Wildfire smoke presents its own set of challenges And according to Jennifer Stowell, a
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climate and health research scientist at the Boston University School of Public Health,
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There is most likely no safe level of exposure to wildfire smoke.
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However, there are precautions you can take to minimize its toll on your health.
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1st and foremost, do not rely solely on your eyes to determine when the air quality is poor.
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Doctor Panagis Galliatos, a pulmonary and critical care medicine physician at Johns
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Hopkins Medicine, advises getting into the habit of checking air quality indexes every
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day, especially during the summer when wildfires are more common.
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Websites like air now dot gov provide measures of your local air quality and fireairnow.gov.
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Offers a helpful map of fire and smoke patterns and how they are influencing air quality.
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It's also important to know your personal risk, wildfire smoke can exacerbate respiratory
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conditions, making people with asthma more prone to attacks, and those with chronic
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obstructive pulmonary disease experience more difficulty breathing.
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Doctor Estowell notes that it can sometimes take a week or so for symptoms to appear after
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you have been exposed to wildfire smoke.
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Enhaling smoke can also trigger inflammation in the body which may put people with underlying
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chronic conditions like diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and heart disease at increased
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risk of getting sick.
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To protect yourself from the effects of wildfire smoke, consider staying indoors as
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much as possible when the air quality is poor.
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Use high efficiency particulate air, HIPAA, filters in your home to reduce indoor
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pollution.
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If you must go outside wearing a mask that can filter out fine particles, such as an n 90 5
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respirator, can provide additional protection.
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Another important tip is to keep windows and doors closed to prevent outdoor air from
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entering your home.
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Avoid activities that can increase indoor pollution such as burning candles, using gas
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stoves, and vacuuming, which can stir up particles already inside your home.
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Running an air conditioner with a clean filter can also help to keep indoor air clean.
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Finally, stay informed about the air quality in your area.
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Sign up for notifications about extreme weather and air quality alerts.
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This way, you can take proactive measures to protect your health and the health of your
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loved ones.
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That wraps up today's episode of morning medical with doctor Chow.
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I hope you found the information useful and that it helps you make informed decisions about
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your health and well-being.
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Thank you for joining today.
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Stay safe and healthy, and I look forward to bringing you more medical and health news
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tomorrow.
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I am doctor Chiu Ming Chow signing off.