Journal Article

Improving outcomes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the role of the interprofessional approach

Adams, Sandra, Amalakuhan, Bravein

2015

Overview

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with significant morbidity, places substantial time and cost burden on the health care system, and is now the third leading cause of death in the US. Many interventions are available to appropriately manage patients with COPD; however, fully implementing these strategies to help improve outcomes may be difficult. Collaboration between an interprofessional team of health care professionals (which includes physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, dietitians, pharmacists, and many others) and COPD patients and caregivers is necessary to optimally manage these patients and to truly impact outcomes in this devastating disease. Prescribing evidence-based non-pharmacological and pharmacological therapies is an important start, but a true team-based approach is critical to successfully implement comprehensive care in patients with COPD. The goal of this review is to employ a case-based approach to provide practical information regarding the roles of the interprofessional team in implementing strategies to optimally manage COPD patients.

• Publisher: Dove Medical Press Limited,Dove Medical Press Ltd,Dove Press,Dove Medical Press
• Subject: Administration, Inhalation / Airway management / Body mass index / Bronchodilator Agents - administration & dosage / Cardiovascular disease / Care and treatment / Caregivers / Case studies / Chronic illnesses / Chronic obstructive lung disease / Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / co-morbidities / Combined Modality Therapy / Comorbidity / Cooperative Behavior / Counseling / Diagnosis / Drug therapy / Dyspnea / Female / Heart failure / Humans / Immunization / Influenza / Inhalers / Interdisciplinary Communication / International organizations / Lung - physiopathology / Lung Transplantation / Male / Middle Aged / Mortality / Nutrition / Nutritional Support / optimal care / Patient Care Team / Patient Education as Topic / Patients / Primary care / Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - diagnosis / Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - epidemiology / Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - physiopathology / Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - therapy / Quality of life / Review / Risk Reduction Behavior / Self Care / shared decision-making / Smoking Cessation / Tobacco / Treatment Outcome / Vaccination / Vaccines