Benefits

It has been demonstrated through a one-year multicentre randomized clinical trial that the Living well with COPD program, when implemented under the supervision of a healthcare professional, can improve individuals’ quality of life and reduce hospitalizations and emergency room visits by 40%, and unscheduled medical visits by 60%.

In order to achieve this, the Living well with COPD program, combined with regular follow-up by a case manager, demonstrated to be successful to support COPD patients in taking charge of their health by integrating healthy behaviors and skills to self-manage their illness on a day-to-day basis.

Positive effects (such as reduced hospitalizations) are still being observed after 2 years.

Impact of the program on the health care system and on healthcare professionals practice

1. Standardization of the education and follow-up given to COPD patients and their family.
2. Support of health care and educational approaches based on the most recent scientific literature, educational approaches of the management of chronic disease and expert recommendation in the respiratory domain (Canadian Thoracic Society recommendations for management of COPD, 2011).
3. Optimal use of health services.
4. Results of a cost analysis (2006) showed that the program leads to a reduction of costs.