Galway Bay fm newsroom - A HSE service is now supporting GPs in the east of the county with consultant-led virtual heart failure clinics.
At the end of 2020, the Heart Failure Service, developed by Portiuncula University Hospital and Galway Primary Care, introduced the clinics to discuss treatment plans and improve patient care.
Once a week up to six GPs can meet and discuss individual patient symptoms and treatment with the Heart Failure Team, on a one-to-one basis, via video conference.
The service aims to deliver more integrated care, support care nearer the home, help to reduce and prevent hospital visits and support the ultimate goal of reducing waiting lists and waiting times.
Heart failure is a common life-limiting chronic illness and it's estimated that 90,000 people in Ireland suffer from the disease - with 10,000 new cases diagnosed each year.
The first virtual heart failure clinic was held in December and since then one or two clinics have been held per week depending on demand.
Consultant Cardiologist at Portiuncula University Hospital Dr Aidan Flynn, who runs the service, says the next phase for the Heart Failure Service is to support GPs who are seeing more patients being diagnosed with heart failure and living with heart failure.
