Impact of individualized care on readmissions after a hospitalization for acute exacerbation of COPD

This study examined the impact of a personalized care approach in reducing the hospitalization rates of COPD patients in two inner-city hospitals in Canada. Treatment group patients received support from an outreach team comprised of an advance practice nurse, a respiratory therapist and a physical therapist. The care package included assessment, education, medication reconciliation and community resource utilization across four time points: 1) initial contact; 2) post-discharge contact; 3) home visit; and 4) continued care. Care package implementation was associated with reduced readmissions rates at 90-days only in treatment group females; reduced readmissions rates were not identified for females at 30-days or for males at either time point. While not the primary study outcome of interest, all-cause mortality was shown to be significantly lower in the treatment group.