E18. Empowering Patients Through Digital Health with Fahreen Walimohamed

In this episode, I’m joined by Fahreen Walimohamed, a health informatics professional and Implementation Manager at OnCall Health. We dig into her career journey, her passion for using health tech to improve care, and how she’s working to empower patients in a system that can be tough to navigate.Fahreen shares stories from projects she’s proud of — like improving home oxygen care — and we talk about how digital health tools are changing the game, especially for people managing chronic respiratory conditions.We also dive into patient data access, the importance of health equity, and the often-overlooked role of caregivers. Fahreen opens up about her leadership style, advocacy work, and her platform, Empower Speaks, where she’s creating space for tough but needed conversations in healthcare.This one’s packed with practical insights about trusting your gut, speaking up for what matters, and using digital tools to better manage your health.Chapters:01:10 Introduction to Fahreen Walimohamed 02:46 Podcast Takeover and Recent Meeting 03:43 Reflecting on a Distinguished Career 04:00 Home Oxygen Project and Quality of Life 11:18 Digital Health and Patient Empowerment 15:51 Digital Health in Chronic Disease Care 20:41 Virtual Care and Patient Portals 26:55 Challenges in Patient Data Access 31:54 Equity in Digital Health Tools 33:58 Addressing Language Barriers in Healthcare 34:20 Equity and Social Determinants of Health 37:43 The Role of AI in Healthcare 38:41 Leadership, Advocacy, and Empowerment 51:10 Personal Reflections and Motivations 57:60 Final Thoughts and Future ProjectsConnect with us (@BeyondTheWheeze):Check us out on InstagramFollow Beyond the Wheeze on LinkedInConnect with us on TikTokFollow us on FacebookSpeaking services, media, blog & news on our websiteEmail Josh directly at [email protected] video podcasts more your thing? Check us out on YouTube!Visit Asthma Canada, or the Lung Health Foundation, to see how you can get involved today.