I am pleased to announce that the COPD Foundation has developed an action plan called: My COPD Action Plan.
This action plan can be initiated by the patient or by the health care provider.
The unique feature of this action plan is the activity list. When surveying our physician leaders they reported that they want to know what a person can and cannot do. This would help them understand their patient's limitations of activity and that knowledge would directly impact how they would treat that patient. Knowing that a person struggles to take a shower everyday is very different from treating a person that can accomplish this task with ease.
My COPD Action Plan can be used daily and should be updated every 6 months. The activity list should only be used when you are going to visit the doctor and is a reflection of what you can do when you are having a typical Green day. Discussion should continue from there, realizing that today may not be a Green Day for you and that may be why you are in the doctors office.
The action plan features actions to take for Green, Yellow and Red days. Special medications can be listed for each patient on what to do if experiencing a Yellow and Red day. You need to work with your doctor to determine what special medications if any should be used for you.
In many cases a COPD flare-up is a result of an infection. Some health care providers may prescribe antibiotics, steroids or other special medications to start right away until you can get into the office for an appointment. Typically the next day.
This is where relationship building is very important and working together with your doctor and this action plan may help you forge a better relationship with your doctor.
Availability:
My COPD Action Plan is ready for e-download right now. Please visit our Downloads Library HERE. You can print these on your home printer. The companion to this piece is the Report Early Signs of Exacerbation. This is intended to be posted on the refrigerator. It tells you and your loved ones what to do and what to look for when a flare-up is approaching. Hence, this should trigger what to do on Yellow and Red days on the My COPD Action Plan.
Within 30 days, My COPD Action Plan will be available in print. The printed action plans will be printed dual sided with the Report Early Signs of Exacerbation on pads of 25. These are tear sheets and intended for clinical use, not personal use. We will insert single sheets into existing COPDF programs and kits like PEP, the Patient Kits, Professional kits, etc.
So, please print your own at home and if you doctor likes it and wants to use it in their office, then you can direct them to the COPD Foundation website to order more.
All this talk about action plans, so I really want to know. Do you have one in place already?