Health Coaches Can Help Prevent Short-Term Readmissions After COPD Exacerbations

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were less likely to be readmitted and had better quality of life when they received coaching.

Avoiding hospital readmission after chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations has not been studied intensively. Investigators at two institutions in Minnesota randomized 215 hospitalized patients with COPD exacerbations to receive either usual care or comprehensive health coaching by dedicated coaches (registered nurse or respiratory therapist) who met with patients during hospitalization and at least once after discharge. During the first visit, coaches employed motivational interviewing and created written action plans for each patient. Additional sessions were conducted by telephone, initially weekly and then monthly. All patients in the intervention arm also received exercise prescriptions.

Compared with usual-care patie…

Reviewing Author

Patricia Kritek, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsATS Scholar

Patricia Kritek, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsATS Scholar

Health Coaches Can Help Prevent Short-Term Readmissions After COPD Exacerbations

Topics

Reviewing Author