Healthy Lung

Currently, about 20 % of our patients at the Sauble Family Health Team smoke cigarettes.

This greatly increases the risk of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Lung cancer is the second-most diagnosed cancer in Grey & Bruce counties and accounts for 25% of all cancer deaths.   https://www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca/healthstats/Reports

COPD is one of the leading causes for admission to hospital in our area.  Therefore, the Sauble FHT is actively involved in screening for lung disease with questionnaires and breathing tests to monitor for disease.

People who smoke and have symptoms (i.e., cough, shortness of breath) are offered a breathing test and those patients diagnosed with COPD will receive a breathing test every two years. As well, we are tracking people who have visited the emergency room with a COPD exacerbation or an admission for this reason.