WAHA and UHN receive provincial award for Medly heart-failure monitoring program
The Weeneebayko Area Health Authority and the University Health Network’s cardiovascular team received an Ontario Health System Quality and Innovation Award for Improved Indigenous Health on Sept. 26 for their work developing the Medly heart-failure monitoring program at WAHA.
The program is used in WAHA’s western James Bay and Hudson Bay service area, including Moose Factory, Moosonee, Attawapiskat, Fort Albany, Kashechewan and Peawanuck.
Medly is a digital health platform for people with heart failure. It allows patients to monitor their health and symptoms while staying connected to their care team.
WAHA said the program uses digital tools such as smartphones and smartwatches to offer personalized advice on managing symptoms and to alert health-care providers to significant changes in a patient’s condition.
WAHA reported that approximately 300 patients in the western James Bay and Hudson Bay region are enrolled in Medly, and almost 100 of those patients use the remote digital monitoring app.
The award was presented at a ceremony hosted by the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. The event included seven award categories, including Improved Indigenous Health.
WAHA said more than 200 nominations were submitted from across Ontario and went through three rounds of evaluation before the top three finalists in each category were invited to the ceremony.
Winners received a custom-designed “Circle of Care” award by Ontario sculptor Edward Falkenberg, according to WAHA.