Hospital visits drop under new COPD program

A new program for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on P.E.I. has led to significant drops in hospital visits.

The INSPIRED program (which stands for implementing a novel and supportive program of individualized care for patients and families living with respiratory disease) was developed in Halifax and adopted on P.E.I. last year.

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Carolyn MacPhail, manager of chronic disease prevention and management for Health PEI, told CBC's Island Morning the program is already having a big impact on patients' lives.

"We have seen the reduction in hospital visits, both to the [emergency] and for hospital admissions," said MacPhail.

Visits to emergency are down 78 per cent and hospital admissions are down 77 per cent for the roughly 120 patients in the program.

"It's a pro-active process to teaching them how to self-manage," said MacPhail.

"The program is teaching them how to manage shortness of breath as well as preventing them getting infections."

Support at home

Under the program, patients aren't left to fend for themselves after a hospital admission. Instead, they receive a call within 48 hours of returning home and a visit from a home care nurse within two weeks. Follow-up will continue after that initial contact.

So far the program has focused on patients who have been admitted to hospital. There are plans to expand it to patients who have had three or more emergency visits.

A study by the Canadian Institute for Health Information estimates over a five-year period, the INSPIRED program will provide a net savings of $2.8 million to the P.E.I. health care service.

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