Improving Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Symptoms Using a Team-Based Approach.

Area of Science:

• Pulmonary Medicine
• Healthcare Management
• Public Health

Background:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death in the US, with West Virginia facing a high burden.
• Managing complex COPD cases is challenging within standard primary care provider visits.
• Individualized pharmacological treatment is crucial for COPD management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary COPD specialty clinic.
• To assess the impact of the clinic on patient hospitalizations, emergency department (ED) visits, and urgent care visits.
• To examine the clinic's effect on nicotine dependency, COPD symptoms, and tobacco use.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of 149 patients referred to the West Virginia University Department of Family Medicine's COPD specialty clinic.
• Analysis of patient data from February 2015 to February 2019.
• Comparison of healthcare utilization and patient-reported outcomes six months and one year before and after clinic initiation.

Main Results:

• Significant reductions in hospital admissions and ED visits were observed post-clinic initiation compared to pre-clinic.
• Patients reported smoking significantly fewer cigarettes per day.
• A significant decrease in self-identified smokers and reduced COPD symptoms were reported.

Conclusions:

• An interdisciplinary, team-based approach is effective in improving health outcomes for COPD patients.
• The COPD specialty clinic model demonstrates success in an academic primary care setting.
• This approach addresses the high burden of COPD in the Appalachian region.