News & Media

World's First Self-management App for Mild-Hemophilia

(December 4, 2014)
After helping young men with mild hemophilia recover from thigh injuries which kept them off work for
close to a year, physiotherapists with the Manitoba and Saskatchewan Bleeding Disorders Programs,
Kathy Mulder and JoAnn Nilson, wanted to find a way to help similar clients easily access important
information about their condition.


A multidisciplinary team from The George and Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation located at
Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg, the Saskatoon Health Region, the University of Saskatchewan and
MITACS have developed an app called HIRT? – Hemophilia Injury Recognition Tool ? that will provide
assistance in identifying an injury needing medical attention. It will also facilitate contact to a
Hemophilia Treatment Centre.


The app describes symptoms of bleeding, explains first aid management, and provides an alarm to
remind the person to reassess their symptoms until the risk of re?bleeding is over. HIRT? also instructs
the user when to seek medical care and contains the contact information for the closest Hemophilia
Treatment Centre.


The app is now available in French and English. It can be downloaded for free from the Google and
Apple stores and information is available through http://www.hemophilia.ca/.
Affecting only men, Hemophilia is a genetic disorder in which blood does not clot properly. People with
milder forms of the disease do not experience frequent bleeding problems, and may not recognize
symptoms of a more severe injury.


“There is a gap for these young men in getting the information they need to help them identify whether
they are dealing with a minor injury or one that could result in a major bleed, and how to proceed,”
explains Mulder. “These young men did not want another booklet. They wanted an app so they would
have the tools they needed at their fingertips. ”


“The term ’mild’ hemophilia can be misleading. The long term repercussions that can result from a
poorly managed bleed can be very severe and disabling,” says Nilson. “Working with this particular
group of patients can be very challenging. I am excited to see the app available for them to use.”


“I really like the feature that reminds me to reassess my bleed, as a mild it's easy to forget or ignore
minor bleeds,” says Jacob Figler, a young man from Winnipeg with mild hemophilia. “This app will help
me keep a closer watch on my body and by doing that hopefully prevent further injury. I will be telling
my two brothers about it too.”

For more information:
Melanie Fatourus?Richardson, Communications Specialist
204?805?0531
mfatourosrichardson@wrha.mb.ca

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