COPD Management Program Linked With Reduced ED Visits

For patients with COPD, implementation of a chronic disease management program through accredited disease-specific clinics was linked with reduced all-cause ED visits, according to a study published in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases. Alexander G. Duarte, MD, and colleagues compared the impact of patient care received at primary care clinics at an academic healthcare system versus that received at an accredited disease-specific clinics. Among 4,646 patients with COPD, 3,532 were treated at primary care clinics and 1,114 were treated at disease-specific clinics. Baseline demographics, use of healthcare resources, and disease-specific performance measures were compared between groups. Cox regression analysis was conducted for propensity matching and for time to first ED visit and hospitalization. In the disease specific group, performance measures were conducted more often, and lower rates of ED visits (HR, 0.31; 95% CI; 0.18-0.54) and hospitalizations (HR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.21-0.79) were observed compared with the primary care group