Study: Case management can reduce readmissions, LOS in COPD patients

Employing a comprehensive disease management program for hospital patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can significantly reduce hospital admissions and length of stay (LOS), according to a study published in the International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. A comprehensive disease management program should include education, case management, and follow-up.

Researchers set out to determine how a comprehensive case management program could reduce LOS and risk of hospital admission and readmission. The study involved five hospitals in Canada that implemented a systems approach to managing patients with COPD. Researchers look at data for the year prior to the implementation of this approach and compared it to the first two years of the program. A total of 1,564 patients were involved in the study.

After implementing the disease management program resulted in a 30% decrease in hospitalizations related to COPD and 13.6% decrease in all-cause hospitalizations. Similarly, all-cause readmissions declined and the mean LOS for COPD patients dropped from 10.8 to 6.8.