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LONDON, ONTARIO - A research study from the Cardiac Arrythmia Network of Canada (CANet) and Lawson Health Research Institute is testing the use of a new online patient care platform designed to help track symptoms for COVID-19 positive patients.  

Patients are now being enrolled in the study from the Urgent COVID-19 Care Clinic at London Health Sciences Centre. This virtual clinic helps identify, triage, monitor and manage potential complications for people recovering from COVID-19 at home. Patients can self-monitor their health with ongoing access to virtual physician support. 

The COVID-19 Virtual Care at Home research study is testing the use of VIRTUES (Virtual Integrated Reliable Transformative User-Driven E-health System), a virtual, patient-centred platform created by CANet to help guide COVID-19 positive patients in managing their illness. They will have remote access to a team of health care providers including those specialized in the fields of cardiology, emergency medicine, internal medicine, infectious disease, neurology and respirology. 

“Using VIRTUES, the care team can monitor a range of symptoms remotely that tells us a lot about how the patient is doing. In addition to tracking their temperature, we are using a home-based pulse oximeter to measure pulse rate and oxygen saturation,” says project co-lead Dr. Marko Mrkobrada, LHSC physician and Lawson Associate Scientist.

As symptoms are logged and tracked, there are alerts for communication between the patient and members of the care team. They can react quickly if additional care is needed such as a visit to the doctor’s office or hospital. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for effective virtual health care,” says Dr. Anthony Tang, CANet CEO and Scientific Director. “Technology solutions support this care by giving both patients and health care providers fast and accurate access to critical information about symptom progression.” 

As a made-in-Canada solution, CANet partnered with Clearbridge Mobile, an application development company in Toronto, to adapt an existing virtual care platform. “We responded quickly to provide a way for health care providers to remotely monitor, triage and manage care for patients with COVID-19, and help identify early on those who are at higher risk of complications,” adds Dr. Tang. Before the pandemic, VIRTUES was used for remote monitoring and care for patients with implantable cardiac defibrillators and pacemakers. 

“We want to learn more about making health care technology user-friendly. Patients will have more information about their care and hopefully will experience reduced anxiety,” explains project co-lead Dr. Erin Spicer, LHSC physician and Lawson Associate Scientist. “While the majority of COVID-19 cases don’t require hospitalization, this system allows us to more closely monitor a patient’s progress and make informed decisions if their symptoms worsen.” 

This research project highlights the importance of collaborative effort. Most importantly, with patient partners' active participation in helping design the VIRTUES platform and this research project. Along with CANet’s investment to adapt the VIRTUES platform for this project, the Department of Medicine at Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry has provided active support with many sub-specialists and investments from the Centre of Quality, Innovation and Safety (CQuinS) program.

“I am proud to be associated with this vital initiative. This research project will be comforting for patients contracted with COVID-19, providing reassurance that they are cared for by experts and monitored with technology advancement.” Dr. James Calvin, citywide Chair/Chief of Medicine.

The research team explains that these types of remote care systems may be able to play an important role in stemming the spread of the virus, while providing high-quality, accessible care using fewer resources. It also provides a means of rapid and accurate tracking of case recovery. 

“We want to keep people safe. Following evaluation of VIRTUES here in London, we hope to see it implemented across the province and beyond. Patients have access to enhanced care while being able to hopefully stay in their homes during their recovery, helping to decrease exposure of COVID-19 in the community and for frontline health care workers,” adds Dr. Tang.  

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LONDON, ON - A team from Lawson Health Research Institute will examine the unique personal and professional impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on frontline hospital workers in Southwestern Ontario. The region’s frontline hospital workers are invited to participate in an online survey to share their experiences during the public health emergency. The goal is to understand impacts unique to our region in order to develop strategies that address the needs of hospital workers. 

“It’s crucial to understand the impact of this pandemic on frontline hospital workers who often face difficult decisions, including risking personal safety to care for patients and the community,” explains Dr. Kimia Honarmand, Lawson Adjunct Scientist and Critical Care Physician at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). “Experiences are likely to vary across the province and country based on local circumstances. It’s important we hear the unique perspectives of those in our region.”

The team will recruit health care professionals from hospitals across Southwestern Ontario. Participants will be asked to complete one short survey with questions about their perceptions, causes of stress and coping strategies during the pandemic. The team hopes results can be used to identify strategies that address informational, training and support needs.

In addition to worries about personal safety, the team notes that frontline workers are faced with concerns about rapidly evolving information, patient surges and depletion of resources like ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE). They suspect social media may play a role in compounding these fears. 

“Compared with past outbreaks like SARS, today’s digital age provides a wealth of on-demand information and the majority is unverified,” says Dr. Honarmand. “While social media can be a place of solidarity and connection, it can also contribute to the spread of misinformation and fear.”

The researchers also suspect that public health measures like physical distancing, while crucial to controlling the spread of disease, may contribute to a loss of social support systems. 

“Taken together, these challenges can lead to stress, anxiety and burnout,” says Carol Young-Ritchie, Executive Vice President, Chief Nursing Officer and Pandemic Incident Management Team Co-Lead at LHSC. “Hearing directly from those on the frontline can help guide hospital administrators and professional organizations in better supporting our people, both during the current pandemic and in future public health emergencies.”

Frontline hospital workers in Southwestern Ontario can learn more and access the survey at https://redcap.lawsonresearch.ca/surveys/?s=E9KKL3CXYE. 

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