New Asthma Education Program
At St. John’s Lutheran Hospital Rehabilitation Department
by St. John’s Lutheran Hospital
August 18, 2010
LIBBY – St. John’s Lutheran Hospital’s Rehabilitation Department has expanded its services once again. This time, to provide local people with asthma the resources necessary to better control their disease.
Els O’Rourke, AE-C and Physical Therapist at St. John’s Lutheran Hospital, is certified to educate, assess, and coordinate services for people with asthma.
"Right now, the only asthma services available to the people in our area are their primary care physician and the St. John’s Emergency Room; this means that asthma patients are forced to travel out of town for any follow-up care. Asthma management is much more effective when there is on-going follow-up and education in all settings including the home, work, and school. Asthma Action Plans, which are now provided by the SJLH Rehabilitation Department, supply information for patients on early intervention and what to do to prevent visits to the Emergency Room, missed work, or days off of school. These Action Plans help give asthma patients the ability to live as normal of a life as possible," explained O’Rourke.
While developing the asthma program at St. John’s, O’Rourke worked with the Respiratory Therapy Department to provide services in the Emergency Department, as well as on the in-patient floor. O’Rourke herself will be providing the out patient services, community education, and coordination with other St. John’s departments and physicians to make this program possible.
For more information on the St. John’s Asthma Education program, call the St. John’s Rehabilitation Department at 406-293-0154.
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