Patients with inherited bleeding and inherited red blood cell disorders now have access to improved care and support for their use of blood and blood products, thanks to an application launched today at BC Children's Hospital.

The Inherited Coagulopathy and Hemoglobinopathy Information Portal (iCHIP) is the first web-based, secure application of its kind in North America. It helps track patients with rare, chronic and life-threatening conditions like hemophilia and sickle cell disease electronically through two components - a Patient Home Module and a Clinical Module.

Patients with these conditions are usually treated with products from donated blood and may need frequent blood product transfusions. In the past, a patient's at-home product use would be assessed by their clinician at their regular bi-annual or annual visit.

With iCHIP, patients with inherited bleeding disorders record their infusion activities in their own home via the Patient Home Module. A real-time interface with the Clinic Module allows clinicians to monitor care in a more timely manner and helps prevent the onset of possible acute episodes which may require emergency visits or inpatient admissions.

iCHIP also enables clinicans to monitor how patients are managing their individual treatment protocols and their conditions as well as blood inventory. By monitoring the information entered by the patient, clinicians can contact the patient and make changes to the treatment plan or provide additional education. Understanding how much blood product is used at home will lead to better use of these life-saving products.

Other features include the ability for patients to generate and print various types of personal treatment protocols and trending reports which they can share with their primary care providers or carry with them when traveling abroad for emergency situations.

iCHIP was developed in collaboration with the BC Inherited Bleeding and Red Cell Disorders (IBRCD) Services clinicians and patients with support, management, coordination and application development from the BC Provincial Blood Coordinating Office, a program of the Provincial Health Services Authority.

Quotes:

Health Minister Terry Lake
"The iCHIP application is an example of our government's dedication to innovation to better serve the needs of the more than 800 British Columbians with inherited bleeding and red cell disorders."

Carl Roy, President & CEO, Provincial Health Services Authority
"iCHIP is supporting patients to have more control over their conditions so they can more easily and quickly manage their own care in partnership with their health care provider. iCHIP will provide patients with a better quality of life while ensuring optimal use of blood products and resources, which will ultimately have a positive impact on the BC health care system."

Dr. John Wu, Pediatric Medical Director, Inherited Bleeding & Red Cell Disorders program
"The development and launch of iCHIP will have a tremendous impact on patient care. From a system-wide perspective, with patient care being provided in a more timely manner, it will reduce the acute episodes or crises that patients may run into if some of their signs and symptoms are not captured earlier on."

Carmen Langdon, mother of patient
"The big thing about iCHIP is it helps us to stay connected with the clinic and monitors my son's treatment. We live in a rural area and in the past, we had no idea when the products would arrive at our local hospital so we were making multiple trips before we could pick up the products. Now, iCHIP sends me a notification and we know exactly when the products arrive - no more wasting time and back and forth trips. If electronic health records are the future, iCHIP is already there."

Further information can be found here.