News: Respiratory therapists in outpatient setting improve COPD outcomes

Integrating respiratory therapists (RT) in a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) clinic led to significant improvements in symptoms and exacerbation rates among patients, as well as a reduction in hospitalizations, according to a study published in Respiratory Care.

The researchers reviewed COPD Assessment Test (CAT) scores, exacerbation rates, and COPD-related hospitalizations of a group of patients 12 months prior and 12 months after their initial visit to the UC Davis Comprehensive COPD Clinic, JustCoding reported. At the clinic, RTs provided patients with assessments, education, and treatment recommendations.

In an interview with UC Davis Heath, one of the researchers, Krystal Craddock said, “Many patients don’t fully understand what COPD is or how to manage it. By reviewing their medications, checking adherence, and teaching them how to respond early to symptoms—like when they’re short of breath—we empowered them to act before things escalated.”

The research found that the patients’ initial median CAT score was 22 and improved to a median score of 19 at their two-month follow-up. Also, there were 115 exacerbations among patients in the 12-month period prior to their initial visits to the COPD clinic, which decreased to 63 exacerbations in the following 12 months. Hospital admissions for COPD exacerbations also decreased from 44 pre-visit to 20 post-visit.

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in JustCoding. To read the full study in Respiratory Care, click here.