Strategies for developing a cost-effective pulmonary rehabilitation program

A cost-effective pulmonary rehabilitation program can be created by using strategic planning, a thorough budgetary process, and then promotion of the program. Strategic planning assesses the need for such a program, develops its overall direction, establishes priorities, assesses economic factors and the presence or absence of similar services already in existence, and identifies the proposed scope of the program. The budgetary process identifies the specific services to be offered and estimates the volume of services, their costs, and revenues. Promotion of the program serves to acquaint potential referring physicians and patients with the services to be offered. If preliminary investigation indicates that a pulmonary rehabilitation program is needed in the community, then strategic planning, careful budgeting, and creative promotion can help assure that the program is financially viable.