Three studies that showed reductions in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) readmissions
In Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
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By: Emily Carpintero Oct. 31, 2017
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the leading conditions globally responsible for emergency hospital medical admissions and readmissions. Healthcare professionals have been conducting studies for over a decade in an attempt to lower readmission rates because of negative connotations to the quality of care in first admittances and the lack of cost-effectiveness for claims payers. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has worked against readmission rates by implementing the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP) in 2015, which penalizes hospitals for exceeding the national average of all-cause readmissions. It has been recognized, by healthcare professionals, that patients with illnesses like COPD are far more likely to be readmitted because of the condition’s chronic nature, therefore they are continuously conducting clinical trials focused on chronic conditions in an effort to find quality solutions to lower readmission rates. Several research studies conducted with COPD patients have already determined definitive averages and structured procedures to adhere to for better results in lowering readmission rates.
Study 1: In Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, five large hospitals entered a two year study, analyzing the effectiveness of a comprehensive case management program (CCMP) for COPD patients. After two years, the researchers compared the readmission rate outcomes during the program to that of the year prior to the start of this study. It was demonstrated that implementing a CCMP, along with education and follow-ups, for COPD patients reduced readmission rates for COPD-related hospitalizations by 30% and hospitalization for all causes by nearly 14%.
Study 2: In Spain, three Day Hospitals (DH) designated for severe COPD cases were monitored by health care professionals over a one-year span to determine whether they were more effective in lowering readmission rates than the emergency department (ED). The study concluded that the DH program hospitalized 60% fewer patients than the ED, confirming that overall DH programs are more cost-effective facilities for COPD patient care.
Study 3: A retrospective study was conducted using a national database for US hospitalizations, reviewing the success of nebulized long-acting beta agonist (arformoterol) versus the use of a nebulized short-acting beta agonists (SABAs, e.g. albuterol, levalbuterol) during COPD inpatient stays. Analyzing data from over four years, researchers were able to determine that readmission rates of arformoterol patients were over 3% less than that of SABA patients, though the initial admission of arformoterol patients was usually under more severe conditions.
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