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| As important as learning as much as you can about
asthma is knowing what is NOT true about the condition. |
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Questions & Answers 1 to 3 of 3
| Doctor Patrick A. Gill |
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Prince Edward Island's
first ever community asthma education centre is named for a man who led
asthma education in our community, Dr. Patrick Gill.
When Dr. Gill passed away in 1996, his family, friends and community mourned.
They also immediately began to plan a suitable tribute to his life, and
his work. When plans began in earnest to develop a community asthma education
centre, a life-long dream of Dr. Gill's, it was quickly
agreed that the centre be named in his memory.
Those who knew Dr. Gill will agree that he demonstrated a unique dedication
to working with patients, families and practitioners to diagnose and manage
asthma conditions.
"His dedication and spirit were an inspiration and a driving force
for us," says Vicki Bryanton, Executive Director of the Prince Edward
Island Lung Association. "Dr. Gill was a true believer that patient
education makes a difference."
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"Dr. Gill was one of Prince Edward Island's finest physicians," said Dr.
Rosemary Henderson, former Chief of Staff of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital
in a May 1996 report. "He was an exemplary clinician as well as a wonderful
person, and his loss will be felt by his colleagues, the hospital staff
and his patients."
"He was the nicest person I've ever met, not just as a doctor but as an
individual," said a former patient of Dr. Gill in the same hospital report.
"He always had time for me, always explained to me what my medical problems
were."
Opened in December 1997 as a 1-year pilot project, the Dr. Patrick Gill
Asthma Education Centre is making a difference for many people with asthma.
The project is meeting its objectives to help people with asthma, and their
families work with their physician to better understand what makes their
asthma worse and how to best maximize their health through proper management
of both their triggers and medications.
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| Knowledge Economy Partnership Proposal |
The
Background
Asthma is
a chronic disorder affecting people of all ages. This illness
and its treatment have a significant impact on patients, their
families and the health care system. PEI has the highest rate
of hospitalization for asthma in Canada at three to five times
that of the national average.
Evidence indicates that effective asthma control requires more
than medical treatment. It indicates that proper education and
patient self-management can improve the quality of life for
patients and their families and reduce the need for health care
services.
The
Project
Establish an Asthma Education Centre in the Queen Elizabeth
Hospital, Charlottetown, to enhance care for asthma patients
and their families.
The centre, staffed with a nurse educator and respiratory therapist,
will provide ongoing education to clients on an outpatient basis.
A multidisciplinary committee of physicians, pharmacists, nurses,
other health professionals, asthma patients and the parents
of children with asthma will provide direction and support.
Physicians and the emergency department will refer patients
to the Asthma Centre and patients will be able to discuss
the benefits of using the Centre with their physicians.
Information technology will be available to educate clients,
health care consumers and health care professionals. A
web site will link users with other provincial and national
associations.
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Minister
of Health & Social Services
Mildred Dover at the Asthma Centre
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The
Objectives
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establish
an asthma education centre |
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improve
asthma control |
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decrease
utilization of health care services |
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implement
an automatic referral approach to the Asthma Education
Centre |
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promote
active involvement of the client in asthma management |
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implement
a coordinated and consistent team approach to asthma management |
The
Benefits
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provide
a coordinated and consistent approach to asthma management
through partnerships between health care institutions,
government, community agencies, educational institutions
and the private sector |
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improve
service delivery to Islanders with asthma |
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increase
knowledge of asthma and improve control of symptoms |
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improve
pulmonary function, and feeling of increased control over
asthma symptoms |
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develop
positive attitudes towards asthma |
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improve
self management and health care use |
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reduce
school and work absenteeism |
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increase physical activity |
The
Partners
Government of Prince Edward Island
University of Prince Edward Island School of Nursing
Queens Region Health and Community Services
PEI Lung Association
Glaxo Wellcome
Astra Pharma
Zeneca Pharma
For
further information, contact:
Brenda MacDonald
Queens Region Health and Community Services
(902) 368-6109
E-mail: bmmacdonald@ihis.org
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For more related information:
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Knowledge
Economy Partnership
Alliance of federal and provincial governments, UPEI,
Holland College and private sector businesses to develop
partnerships with the goal of providing more effective
service to clients, elevate the IT skills of Islanders,
stimulate job creation in knowledge-based industries and
identify opportunities to share cost-savings that could
result.
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Economic
Burden of Illness in Canada Report
This report provides a comprehensive overview of the distribution
of the principal direct and indirect costs of illness
in Canada.
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National
Health Expenditures 1975 -1997
This chart illustrates the dramatic increase in health
care expenditures in Canada in the last two decades.
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Mayo
Clinic Health O@sis
"New understanding can help you gain more control over
your symptoms and lifestyle". This is an excellent
source of background information that explains why centres
like ours are starting to replace traditional means of
treating asthma and its symptoms.
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Canadian
Institute for Health Information
A leader in the standardizing, collecting, analyzing and
sharing of Canadian health information, the CIHI aims
to help establish sound health policy, manage the Canadian
health system effectively, and improve the awareness of
factors affecting good health.
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| The Asthma Education Centre Opens |
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View our news story
about the opening.
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