DENVER — More people can now can tap into real time information about our air quality. The Love My Air program, started through Denver’s Department of Health, has now expanded to Kaiser Permanente East medical offices.
Outside, there is a new air quality monitor and it collects information at that location. Inside, people can check out a touch screen with information about ozone, air pollution plus health impacts.
The idea is people can see that information right before a doctor’s appointment and ask about it.
“If you get a notification from the weather app or whatever, people aren't paying attention to it,” Nancy Fitzgerald with Love My Air Denver said. “But if you are here in a medical setting, you're already thinking about your health, then that's something that you're going to take a little bit more seriously.”
The original air monitor opened at Tepeyac Community Health Center about a year ago. Since then, it’s expanded to Inner City Health Center, Kaiser and the Denver Animal Shelter.
Fitzgerald told Denver7 feedback has been good so far.
“They are saying, 'oh, this is awesome because my kid has asthma, or I have asthma myself,'” Fitzgerald said. “'Or, I need to tell my neighbors about this. Let me bring them to the clinic so they can see this.'"
The program is available in both English and Spanish. Dr. Jacob McKeegan, a family practice doctor with Kaiser, said it can help people with several different health issues.
“Those who have breathing troubles like asthma, COPD or heart disease are at higher risk,” Dr. McKeegan said. “So, as they're looking at either the app or if they're in the actual medical clinic, and look at the screens in there to see that information, they can then take that in a visit with their healthcare provider And say hey, I was reading about this out on the screen. Is this something I should be concerned about?"
Dr. McKeegan said it can lead to different choices on poor air quality days.
“We are really proud, because by giving this resource and information people in the community can use it to make better decisions about how that could impact their health,” Dr. McKeegan said. “How it could impact if they choose to go outside today or at different times of the day. Obviously, we want people to be active. But to use air information, air quality information to time that so we can make healthy decisions.”
There is also a Love My Air Denver app that pulls in data from several air monitors, so people can use that information to help them even if they don’t go to these health centers.
