April 2013
This study, published in the Respiratory Medicine Journal, examined whether it was possible for COPD patients with a high disease burden to self-manage acute exacerbations and reduce their use of hospitals.
Two cohorts of patient files (2006 and 2009) were compared. In 2009, fewer COPD patients experienced Emergency Department visits or hospital admissions due to effective disease self-management than in 2006 (42% vs. 60%). Findings suggest that written action plans help COPD patients to self-manage their disease and reduce hospitalization.
Contributors to the journal article include Jean Bourbeau, Nathalie Saad, Alexandre Joubert, Isabelle Ouellet, Isabelle Drouin, Celia Lombardo, France Paguet, Danielle Beaucage and Michel Lebel.
View this article via the Respiratory Medicine Journal website