Hands-on COPD program reduces hospitalizations
В Low-intensity case-management sharply reduced hospital admissions and emergency room visits among high-risk patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a researcher said here.
Regular home visits and frequent clinic visits have been shown to reduce the need for hospital care, according to Kathryn Rice, M.D., of Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Hospital.
But a randomized study she and her colleagues carried out is the “first evidence that a more simplified model can have the same effect,” she said at the annual meeting of the American Thoracic Society.
In the study, 743 patients were randomly assigned to maintain their usual care — two or three visits with a doctor every year — or to take part in the case-management program.
In that program, patients first spent an hour with a respiratory therapist, during which they learned about the disease itself, reviewed their rescue and maintenance medications, and were counseled on smoking cessation, the need for vaccinations, and hand hygiene.
They also had their oximetry checked at rest and received a written action plan that included how to recognize a COPD exacerbation and what to do about it, including when to take prednisone, antibiotics, or both.
Each patient had a case manager who called once a month to check up and who was available for telephone consultation Monday through Friday.
Read the remainder of this article and the results of the study - Click Here
follow up comments by COPD patient educator, Cecil Montgomery After dealing with COPD patients for 10 years through COPD support sites and now my own COPD Education site (Copd Survivors) I think this would be the most beneficial program ever introduced. In addition, I think this type of introduction to COPD would be great for newly diagnosed partients. The amount of money spent on newly diagnosed patients with lack of knowledge, resulting in anxiety and depression would more than pay for these introductions by clinics and hospitals. I have seen no studies on these “guesses” but I would say 50 to 75% of newly diagnosed patients cost three or four times as much for hospitalizations as experienced educated copd patients.
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May 28, 2008
Tags: Cecil Montgomery, COPD education, COPD Survivors Posted in: COPD - Support, Education and Advocacy
2 Responses
Martin Platt - February 27, 2009
I am just now getting over an exacerbation. 5 days worth of prednizone 10 days worth of antibiotic. I have put up with a case of chronic sinusitis for two years I am being treated by the VA system and they have not been able to treat the sinusitis. I believe my sinus infection causes my exacerbations ( last one 9 months ago) The antibiotics clear my lungs in a few days but don’t do much for the sinus problem. This time however, I believe it may be starting to work on the sinus infection. I asked to be continued on the antibiotic for another 10 days but the dr. is reluctant. Any ideas or similar experiences?
Thanks, Marty
Karen Bastille - February 28, 2009
Hi Marty,
A good source to ask about other COPDers with comparable experiences is at one of the forums. (They’re very friendly too!)
Two good ones are
The COPD Information forum at
http://members.boardhost.com/COPD/
and
the COPD International Message Board
http://69.72.148.139/cgi-bin/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number=18&start=here
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