What is COVID@Home Monitoring for Primary Care?
A community of practice (CoP) supporting primary care providers with clinical pathways based on the best evidence and matching EMR tools for monitoring COVID+ patients in their homes as necessary, providing greater equity of access to care across the province. This initiative includes access to oxygen saturation monitors via centralized procurement through the Ministry of Health for primary care providers to distribute to their higher-risk patients.
What are the benefits for patients, providers, and the health system?
- Improved knowledge of clinical pathways for managing COVID+ patients for primary care providers.
- Reduced mortality and morbidity, and improved care experiences for patients.
- Early detection of signs of deterioration, ensuring appropriate cases are expediated to hospital.
- Provision of oxygen (for improved comfort and symptom management) in the home for patients who do not wish to be transferred to hospital (i.e., a palliative approach to care).
What resources are available?
- Recordings of CoP meetings where clinical pathways are explained, and frequently asked questions are answered
- COVID@Home Monitoring for Primary Care Resource Toolkit
- Ordering form for requesting oxygen saturation monitors from the Ministry of Health
- Working with Oxygen Providers Document
- Primary Care and COVID-19 Support CoP where useful tools and resources are posted, and upcoming CoP meetings are listed (See directions to join the Quorum group)
- Patient education resources in several languages available:
- Direct links to the Clinical Pathways:
If you have further questions reach out to our e-mail inbox: OH_COVIDatHome@ontariohealth.ca