Order Set to Improve the Care of Patients Hospitalized for an Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Researchers examined the relationship between implementation of COPD order sets and 1) accurate physician use of these standardized orders and 2) patient outcomes. Post-implementation, subsequent hospital length of stay decreased. Significantly more patients received all appropriate medications for the six months following their hospital stay; however, that equated to only 54 percent of included patients receiving all indicated medications. No changes were detected on clinical outcomes or numbers of readmissions or emergency department visits.