COPD CARE Academy: Design of Purposeful Training Guided by Implementation Strategies

Area of Science:

• Healthcare quality improvement
• Clinical education and training
• Pulmonary medicine

Background:

• Effective clinical training is crucial for high-quality healthcare delivery.
• Translating acquired knowledge into practice requires specific implementation strategies.
• Enhancing patient care necessitates robust training programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Coordinated Access to Reduce Exacerbations (COPD CARE) Academy.
• To highlight the training initiative's role in improving COPD patient care.
• To showcase a model for interprofessional collaboration in clinical training.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of the COPD CARE Academy across multiple US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers.
• Training focused on COPD CARE program implementation and complex care transitions.
• Leveraging partnerships between VA facilities and academic institutions for implementation support.

Main Results:

• The COPD CARE Academy was implemented at over 49 VA medical centers.
• The program provided training on COPD CARE initiatives and care transitions.
• Implementation strategies were offered to local champions.

Conclusions:

• The COPD CARE Academy is an interprofessional initiative involving frontline clinicians and VA leadership.
• The training program utilizes quality improvement methodology.
• The Academy aims to enhance care for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.