A self-management guide for acute respiratory infections was developed as part of a PATIenTS program project aimed at improving a care trajectory related to respiratory infections. It is available in five languages (French, English, Spanish, Urdu and Punjabi) in order to meet the needs of the population served by the clinics, where the tool’s impact will be assessed while supporting clinical staff in their practice.
This deliverable is in line with the project’s initial hypothesis, which was that a large proportion of the problems identified and the feasible and acceptable solutions will concern prevention, disease management at home, and the use of medical consultations.
At issue
Every year, Quebec emergency rooms and front-line clinics are overwhelmed by requests for consultations for respiratory infections. A major contributing factor is the difficulty people with respiratory infections have in knowing how to manage their symptoms at home, and when and where to seek help. We need to develop strategies to support patients’ autonomy in a safe way, to provide better guidance on when it’s important to consult, and thus help patients and caregivers during respiratory infection seasons.