BreatheStrong: Empowering Respiratory Health at Brickyard Healthcare

Living with a respiratory disorder can significantly impact your quality of life, but with the right care and support, you can manage your symptoms and live more comfortably. At Brickyard Healthcare, we understand the challenges of respiratory conditions and are committed to helping our patients breathe more easily. That’s why we’re proud to introduce the BreatheStrong program, designed to improve the quality of life for individuals living with respiratory disorders.

What is the BreatheStrong Program?

The BreatheStrong program is a specialized initiative at Brickyard Healthcare designed to support patients with respiratory disorders. This program aims to help individuals identify symptoms, manage their conditions effectively, and achieve the best possible quality of life while living at home. Our comprehensive approach includes personalized care, continuous education, and dedicated support from a team of healthcare professionals. The program is currently available at our Brookview location, and if successful, we plan to expand it to other Brickyard locations to benefit more patients.

Key Objectives of the BreatheStrong Program

• Symptom Identification and Management: Patients learn how to recognize early symptoms of respiratory distress and take proactive steps to manage them.
• Educational Support: Our team provides thorough education on respiratory health, including proper breathing techniques, medication management, and lifestyle changes.
• Personalized Care Plans: Each patient receives a customized care plan tailored to their specific respiratory condition and overall health needs.
• Nutritional Guidance: Dietary plans are formulated to support respiratory health, ensuring patients receive the necessary nutrients to maintain their strength and well-being.
• Ongoing Monitoring: Regular checkups and monitoring help track patient progress and adjust care plans as needed.

What Conditions Are Treated?

The BreatheStrong program addresses a wide range of respiratory conditions, providing targeted care and support for each. These conditions include:

• COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease): A chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes obstructed airflow from the lungs. Symptoms include breathing difficulty, cough, mucus production, and wheezing.
• Bronchitis: Inflammation of the bronchial tubes, which carry air to and from your lungs. Bronchitis can be acute or chronic and is often characterized by coughing, mucus production, and difficulty breathing.
• Pneumonia: An infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs, which may fill with fluid. Symptoms include cough, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing.
• Influenza: A viral infection that attacks the respiratory system. Symptoms include fever, chills, muscle aches, cough, congestion, runny nose, headaches, and fatigue.
• Asthma: A condition in which your airways narrow and swell, producing extra mucus. This can make breathing difficult and trigger coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
• Atelectasis: A complete or partial collapse of a lung or a section (lobe) of a lung. It occurs when the tiny air sacs (alveoli) within the lung become deflated or filled with alveolar fluid.
• COVID-19: A highly infectious disease caused by the novel coronavirus, leading to respiratory issues ranging from mild to severe. Symptoms can include fever, cough, and shortness of breath.
• Emphysema: A condition where the air sacs in the lungs (alveoli) are damaged, leading to shortness of breath. Emphysema is a form of COPD.
• Lung Cancer: A type of cancer that begins in the lungs. Symptoms include a persistent cough, changes in voice, shortness of breath, chest pain, and weight loss.
• Sleep Apnea: A serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. Symptoms include loud snoring, episodes of breathing cessation during sleep, and daytime fatigue.
• Other Lung Diseases: The program also caters to various other lung diseases, ensuring comprehensive respiratory care.

By providing comprehensive care and education, we aim to empower patients to manage their conditions more effectively. The BreatheStrong program’s holistic approach ensures that patients receive the support they need to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives despite their respiratory challenges.

The BreatheStrong Difference

What sets the BreatheStrong program apart is our holistic approach to respiratory health, encompassing personalized care, comprehensive education, and continuous support. Here’s how we make a difference.

Care & Competencies

Collaborative Care

• 24/7 Respiratory Therapists: From the moment of admission, our team of respiratory therapists is available around the clock to provide continuous support. This ensures that any issues are promptly addressed and that patients receive consistent care.
• Pulmonary Nurse Practitioner: Our dedicated pulmonary nurse practitioner conducts weekly rounds, ensuring that each patient’s condition is closely monitored. They coordinate with your pulmonologist to develop and adjust treatment plans as needed, ensuring comprehensive management of your respiratory disorder.

Expert Management

• Close Monitoring: Our team ensures that your respiratory health is continuously monitored. We use advanced diagnostic tools and techniques to keep track of your condition and make necessary adjustments to your care plan.
• Integrated Care: We believe in an integrated approach to managing respiratory disorders, involving multiple healthcare professionals who work together to provide you with the best possible care.

Education

Comprehensive Learning

• Multidisciplinary Team: Physical, occupational, and speech therapists collaborate to provide education on all aspects of respiratory health. This includes proper diet, exercise, breathing techniques, medication, and symptom management.
• Hands-On Training: Patients receive hands-on training and practical advice on managing their condition, ensuring they feel confident in handling their symptoms.

Empowering Patients

• Symptom Identification: We focus on teaching you how to identify early symptoms of respiratory distress, so you can take proactive steps to manage your condition.
• Self-Management Techniques: Our education programs empower you to take control of your respiratory health by teaching effective self-management techniques, from breathing exercises to the proper use of inhalers and other medications.

Dietary Difference

Customized Diet Plans

• Tailored Nutrition: Our culinary department works closely with healthcare providers to formulate a diet that is specifically tailored to your diagnosis. This ensures that your nutritional needs are met in a way that supports your respiratory health.
• Small, Frequent Meals: Eating small, frequent meals helps you comfortably obtain the calories needed to maintain a healthy weight without overwhelming your respiratory system.

Nutritional Support

• Balanced Diet Guidance: We provide ongoing guidance on maintaining a balanced diet that supports your overall well-being. This includes advice on nutrient-rich foods that can help boost your immune system and improve respiratory function.
• Dietary Adjustments: Our team continually assesses and adjusts your diet plan as needed to ensure it meets your changing health needs.

Discharge and Follow-Up

Thorough Planning

• Comprehensive Discharge Plan: Upon discharge, we ensure you have a detailed discharge plan that includes all necessary instructions for continuing care at home. This plan covers medication schedules, dietary recommendations, and any lifestyle changes that may be required.
• Scheduled Appointments: We schedule follow-up appointments with your primary care provider (PCP) and/or pulmonologist to ensure continuity of care and ongoing management of your respiratory condition.

Continuous Support

• Ongoing Communication: We maintain open lines of communication with you and your caregivers to ensure your transition home is smooth. Our team is always available to answer any questions and provide additional support as needed.
• Follow-Up Care: We provide regular follow-up care to monitor your progress and make any necessary adjustments to your treatment plan. This continuous support helps prevent complications and ensures that you remain on track with your health goals.

The BreatheStrong program at Brickyard Healthcare is designed to provide comprehensive, personalized care for individuals with respiratory disorders. By focusing on collaborative care, education, nutrition, and follow-up support, we aim to help you manage your condition effectively and improve your overall quality of life.

Highlighting Alteas Health

The success of the BreatheStrong program is enhanced through our partnership with Alteas Health. Here’s what you need to know about this collaboration.

Who is Alteas Health?

Alteas Health is a team of dedicated professionals, including cardiologists, pulmonologists, acute care nurse practitioners, physician assistants, medical technicians, social workers, analysts, and educators. They specialize in providing high-quality outpatient cardiology and pulmonary care for senior communities.

Benefits of Alteas Health

• Comprehensive Care: Alteas Health offers all the benefits of outpatient cardiology and pulmonary care, tailored to meet the needs of senior communities.
• Modern, Patient-Centric Services: They continually respond to changing demands by creating and implementing modern, patient-centric services.
• High-Quality Care: Their mission is to provide consistent, high-quality care where and when you need it, ensuring timely, dignified, and compassionate specialty treatment.
• Bridging Care Gaps: Their transitional cardiology and pulmonology programs bridge the gap between hospital-based care and skilled nursing communities, assisted living, and independent living.

Our Collaborative Approach

• Open Communication: Alteas Health respects the relationship residents have with their primary cardiologist and pulmonologist. They work hard to maintain open communication with residents, family members, and caregivers.
• Specialty Treatment: Every provider at Alteas Health takes responsibility for patient care, working and communicating with your medical team to ensure you receive the best possible treatment.

Future Expansion Plans

Currently, the BreatheStrong program is available exclusively at our Brookview location. However, we have high hopes of expanding this successful initiative to other Brickyard locations in the future. Our goal is to bring the benefits of BreatheStrong to more patients, helping them manage their respiratory conditions and improve their quality of life.

Breathe Easy with Brickyard Healthcare

The BreatheStrong program is designed to provide comprehensive, patient-centric care for those living with respiratory disorders. By focusing on education, personalized care, and continuous support, we aim to help you manage your symptoms and live a healthier, more comfortable life.

Take the Next Step with BreatheStrong

For more information about the BreatheStrong program or to see how it can help you or your loved one, please visit our contact page. Our team is ready to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have.

Stay informed and empowered by learning more about our partner, Alteas Health, and the exceptional care they provide. Together, we can ensure that you receive the care and support you need to thrive.