“This pathway has been transformative in how we care for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – it allows us to detect deterioration earlier, provide timely interventions, and support patients to recover safely in their own homes,” according to Professor Sinead Walsh, Consultant Respiratory Physician, University Hospital Galway and Respiratory Lead for the Galway City Integrated Care Hub. She spoke as the Respiratory Integrated Care Team, Galway City Integrated Care Hub, and the HIVE Laboratory at the University of Galway were honoured at the recent Irish Healthcare Centre Awards.

Prof Walsh added that “the feedback from patients has been overwhelmingly positive - they feel more in control of their health and reassured by the daily connection with the care team. And it also demonstrates how innovation happens through collaboration.”

The initiative, which leverages remote patient monitoring technology, was recognised with the award for ‘Best Use of Information Technology’.

The COPD virtual care pathway, which launched in April 2024, has redefined how care is delivered to patients experiencing a COPD exacerbation. The model enables patients to recover at home, supported by a multidisciplinary clinical team, fostering greater patient empowerment and continuity of care.

To date, 95 episodes of care have been delivered through the virtual pathway, resulting in the saving of 545 hospital bed days. The average length of stay under virtual care has been reduced to 6.01 days, compared to the national inpatient average of 7.5 days for COPD patients in Ireland.

Through a user-friendly application, MyPatientSpace, patients are empowered to report their daily symptoms and monitor key health metrics from the comfort of their homes. Equipped with a pulse oximeter, they can track vital signs such as oxygen saturation and heart rate on a daily basis. The system is designed to detect any deviations from target ranges or emerging concerning patterns, triggering real-time alerts for the clinical team. This enables rapid intervention and the development of personalised care plans, helping to address issues early and prevent escalation.

Professor Derek O'Keeffe, Consultant Physician, University Hospital Galway and Director of the HIVE Lab, University of Galway further explained how “Prof Walsh and her clinical team including Emma Burke, Respiratory Advanced Nurse Practitioner, worked with Dr David Tiernan and the HIVE Lab research team at the University of Galway to develop and implement a novel digital health solution to improve COPD patient care.”

The award-winning initiative reflects a broader shift toward digitally enabled, patient-centred care, demonstrating how technology can enhance clinical outcomes, optimise resources and improve patient experience in chronic disease management.

It also demonstrates how, nationally, the HSE is supporting more older adults and those living with chronic diseases to access specialist teams through programmes like the Chronic Disease Management Programme, and further shows how the increase in the amount of care delivered in the community benefits patients directly.