Freya – Improving Asthma Self-Management

Compliance with medication and effectively self-managing care are two of the most efficient ways of treating long term conditions. 

Sometimes people with a learning disability can have difficulty getting used to a medication regime and do not always get the best out of the equipment given to them to help manage their care. 

Freya has asthma and a learning disability. She visits her GP Practice regularly (about every 2 months), usually seeing the nurse but often seeing the GP about her asthma. Freya doesn’t mind going to the practice but does not like it when she has an Asthma attack and then must go to A&E – about twice a year. The problem usually is that Freya has not kept up with using her inhaler.  The major challenge is that the technique for using the inhaler is tricky and Freya does not use her inhaler in the best way. 

At one visit to the GP Freya brought her new computer tablet with Hear Me Now (HMN) installed. The GP knew Freya had HMN as Freya had already shared things with the practice using HMN’s sharing feature. At the appointment the GP had already decided to look at inhaler technique. Freya loved videoing information so the GP worked with Freya to record a video of correct inhaler technique. The recording was sent to Freya using the curated content feature of HMN that allows the GP to see when Freya has opened the content in her app, in the new box that the GP created on the web interface of HMN. 

The GP wondered if Freya was taking the medication regularly, so Freya and the GP agreed to put a reminder in the calendar in HMN every day for the medication. They did this during Freya’s GP appointment. 

Freya now has better technique for using her inhaler: she always has the video to hand as it is stored in her Asthma box on HMN to support her whenever she wants reminding Freya of the best way to use the inhaler. The reminders are also working well – Freya is now not only using her inhaler in a better way bit also more regularly. Visits to the GP are less regular and there have been no A&E attendances.  

HMN allows clinicians to work with their patient to improve care. Improving care of long-term conditions gives the person greater confidence, independence and dignity as well as keeping them healthier and reducing the burden on the NHS.  This frees up capacity for other patients and saves the NHS money by reducing appointments and attendances, and by making more effective use of the treatments supplied.