This year, as we look back over the accomplishments and challenges of the past fiscal year, we’ve adopted the theme ‘Checking our Vitals,’ as we examine what we’ve done – and how well we’ve done it. We invite you to check out the story below which aligns with our strategic priority of access.

Imagine being seen by your cardiac health care team from the comfort of your own home – no matter where you live in Newfoundland and Labrador?

Imagine having access to a monitoring system that alerts your health care providers when something goes wrong?

This ‘virtual clinic’ becomes a reality for hundreds of Eastern Health’s cardiac patients in the last year, as the Cardiac Care Program has implemented the state-of-art technology known as The Remote Cardiac Device Monitoring Program.

They’ve been implanted with a defibrillator that is not only capable of ‘shocking’ their heart back into normal rhythm if necessary – it also feeds potentially life-saving data to a remote monitor that can accompany patients wherever they go.

And it makes all the difference. Just ask Herbert Temple, of Blaketown. ■

As part of our annual reporting process, we’ve chosen to highlight four accomplishments, via video, which align with Eastern Health’s four strategic priorities:

• Access: Home is Where the Heart Is: The Remote Cardiac Device Monitoring Program
• Quality and Safety: The Pyxis Effect: Dispensing Pills and Practical Solutions
• Population Health: Immunization Goes Viral
• Sustainability: Airing Our Clean Laundry

The videos may also be accessed via this year’s Board Chair Report, which includes a message from Michael O’Keefe, Chair of Eastern Health’s Board of Trustees, along with a list of several other strategic accomplishments.

This story was written and produced by Deborah Collins, communications manager and Phil Simms, cameraman and editor, who both work with Corporate Communications.