What are you doing for the 76 patients with COPD in your practice?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the 4th leading cause of death in the United States. To understand the scope of the disease in Minnesota, researchers from the American Lung Association of Minnesota and the Minnesota COPD Coalition conducted an assessment that included a review of mortality data from the Minnesota Department of Health, hospitalization and emergency department visit data from the Minnesota Hospital Association, and administrative data from Medica Health Plans. They also surveyed more than 1,900 patients with COPD about their needs. This paper reviews their findings on the prevalence of the condition and offers suggestions for providing optimal care to patients with this disease.