Greet the new year by tapping into some new resources.
Free app for patients with Crohn’s Disease
GI Buddy is a free tool from the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America that patients can use to stay on top of managing their Crohn’s Disease or ulcerative colitis symptoms. Patients can record what they eat, track their treatment and well-being, and access detailed reports. Patients also can access a video of tips for using GI Buddy, which is available online and as an iPhone app.
Toolkit on diabetes and coronary artery disease
People with diabetes have heart disease death rates about two to four times higher than those without diabetes. Use the “Diabetes and Coronary Artery Disease ‘Make the Link’ Toolkit,” from the American Diabetes Association, to help your patients understand the connection between diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD).
Patient education information is available on the following topics:
• Diabetes and CAD
• Understanding CAD
• CAD symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
• Taking care of type 2 diabetes
• Taking care of your heart
• Getting the very best care for your diabetes
• Know the warning signs of a heart attack
• Protect your heart: Make smart food choices
• Learning how to change habits.
You can download each PDF or the entire toolkit.
Pressure ulcer posters
The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel has created four posters that cover Best Practices for Prevention of Medical Device-Related Pressure Ulcers. In addition to the general poster, you can download versions for long-term care, critical care, and pediatric populations.
Discharge toolkit
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is seeing red, but in a good way. Its “Re-Engineered Discharge (RED) Toolkit” is designed to help hospitals develop effective processes for discharging patients.
RED consists of 12 mutually reinforcing actions, including expediting transmission of the discharge summary to clinicians accepting care of the patient and providing telephone reinforcement of the discharge plan.
In addition to a training program to help with implementation, the toolkit includes “Taking Care of Myself: A Guide for When I Leave the Hospital,” a PDF booklet for patients.
DISCLAIMER: All clinical recommendations are intended to assist with determining the appropriate wound therapy for the patient. Responsibility for final decisions and actions related to care of specific patients shall remain the obligation of the institution, its staff, and the patients’ attending physicians. Nothing in this information shall be deemed to constitute the providing of medical care or the diagnosis of any medical condition. Individuals should contact their healthcare providers for medical-related information.
