COPD Clinical Summary

How the Program Works | Facts You Need to Know | Compliance Management | COPD Outcomes

How the Program Works

Matria’s COPD Management Program helps COPD patients develop individualized care plans according to the severity of their condition through educational materials and telephonic interactions. Throughout the process, Matria’s respiratory specialty nurses offer support and information on the following issues surrounding COPD:

Lung infection. One of our major goals is to help patients learn how to recognize the early symptoms of a lung infection that could lead to hospitalization. They learn how to monitor their sputum for:

• Color
• Frequency
• Amount
• Consistency

Diet. Patients with severe COPD often lack the energy to cook food and prepare healthy meals. For instance, they burn an average of 750 calories a day just to breathe, while a healthy individual burns 50 calories. As a result, many COPD patients are malnourished. We help them learn how to prepare easy, small meals throughout the day that are high in fat content. Eating more of the right foods allows them to:

• Metabolize medicines better
• Tolerate more activity
• Stay healthier, more energetic and less at risk for developing a lung infection

Smoking. Patients are thoroughly educated on the effects of smoking, urged to quit immediately and directed to smoking cessation programs.

Depression. Living with difficulty breathing, knowing the condition will only worsen, can lead to depression. Our nursing staff provides emotional support and refers patients to licensed therapists when necessary.

Also available in the program:

• Management of co-morbidities
• A reactive 24/7 call line, staffed by respiratory specialty registered nurses (RNs) for early intervention and resolution of acute episodes
• Customized care plans for patients with more severe conditions
• Peak flow meters for individuals with moderate to severe COPD to monitor lung function objectively

Facts You Need to Know

COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, claiming 117,552 lives annually. A total of 12.6 million patients are costing the nation approximately $32.1 billion a year.

At least 90 percent of COPD cases are caused by smoking; a smoker is 10 times more likely to die from COPD. However, a recent study found that 19.2 percent of COPD cases were influenced by exposure on the job to certain industrial pollutants.

Compliance Management

Our program is designed to help patients comply with their doctor’s plan of care, which involves several key clinical performance indicators based on national standards. While working with patients, we track their adherence to these standards and report back measurable results to show program impact on patient compliance. For patients with COPD, we monitor the following:

• Appropriate use of oxygen
• Smoking cessation
• Use of anticholinergics
• Use of beta2-agonists
• Use of metered dose inhaler
• Monitoring of body mass index (BMI)
• Annual flu shots
• Periodic pneumonia vaccinations

COPD Outcomes

Matria’s COPD Management Program produced the following results for a range of clients:

• Reduced emergency room visits by 23 percent and per member per month (PMPM) costs by 29 percent
• Reduced hospitalizations by 24 percent and PMPM hospitalization costs by 37 percent
• Reduced hospital days by 15 percent