A quality improvement initiative for COPD patients: A cost analysis

The objective of this analysis was to evaluate and report on the economic impact of implementing an integrated, quality, and operational improvement program on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) care from acute through post-acute care settings. This initiative was established in a cohort of 12 hospitals in Alabama and sought to address COPD readmission through improved workflows pertaining to early diagnosis, efficient care transitions, and patient visibility across the entire care episode. Implementation of the initiative was influenced by lean principles, particularly cross-functional agreement of workflows to improve COPD care delivery and outcomes. A budget impact model was developed to calculate cost savings directly from objective data collected during this initiative. The model estimated payer annual savings over 5 years. Patients were classified for analysis based on whether or not they received noninvasive ventilation. Scenario analyses calculated savings for payers covering different COPD cohort sizes. The base case revealed annual per patient savings of $11,263 for patients treated through the quality improvement program versus traditional care. The model projected cumulative savings of $52 million over a 5-year period. Clinical incorporation of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) resulted in $20,535 annual savings per patient and projected $91 million over 5 years. We conclude that an integrated management program for COPD patients across the care continuum is associated with substantial cost savings and significantly reduced hospital readmissions.