Helle
Marie Christensen1
1Department of Respiratory Medicine,
Odense University Hospital, Odense,
Denmark
Background:
Exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the
second leading cause of emergency admission to medical departments.
According to former studies, patients with COPD often awaits and do not
react in time to signs of disease worsening, which may result in delay
of treatment and inappropriate hospital admissions.
Aim/objectives:
Contributes to increase patients' quality of life and prognosis through
an intensified proactive effort and development of competence of
patients with COPD, relatives and healthcare professionals involved
across sector boundaries, focusing on earlier identification and better
treatment of exacerbation of COPD.
Method:
A
development study. Through literature and medical journal audit, a tool
was developed to identify patients with COPD at special risk for
readmission to hospital. Through one year 98 patients were identified
and offered two visits at home by a clinical pulmonary nurse specialist
after admission, respectively, two weeks and four weeks after
discharge. Focus was on earlier identification and better treatment of
exacerbation of COPD. Also user perspectives were involved in the
outcome through 11 semi-structured interviews of selected patients
following complete study visits.
Results:
There were no changes in amount of readmissions during the study. The
study patients were experienced in managing COPD symptoms and
medication, but expressed an unmet need for COPD qualified help from
primary care.
Conclusion:
This particular group of vulnerable patients with COPD had a heavy
symptom burden in everyday life. They were experienced in their COPD
disease management. The patients therefore had a need for special
treatment and care during even a small exacerbation.
Source : http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/42/Suppl_57/P4245
Image : http://labblog.uofmhealth.org/sites/lab/files/2016-05/UMH_L_COPD-01%20%281%29.png