In a population-based, retrospective cohort study, researchers aimed to look at the link between those attending the Nurse and Allied Health Clinic-Respiratory Care and mortality risk, frequency of comorbidity, as well as complications, and use of a healthcare service after a 6-year follow-up time in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A total of 9,048 patients were eligible for study enrollment and had COPD and were treated in public outpatient clinics between the time of January 2010 and December 2014.
Of the patients, they were separated into two groups: 3,093 subjects were in the exposure cohort (91.0% male, mean age of 69.8 years) and 5,955 subjects were in the reference cohort (91.2% male, mean age of 69.5 years). Researchers found that those who were in the exposure group of the study had a lower risk of pneumonia-caused mortality, all-cause mortality, respiratory-caused mortality, and cardiovascular-related mortality compared with those who were in the usual care-only cohort. The researchers also noted that exposure was linked to reduced emergency department visit rates and hospitalization rates through emergency departments. The investigators noted experimental studies are needed to look into the program’s efficiency on health outcomes.
Reference: Smith T. Positive Outcomes Observed Among Those With COPD in Nurse, Allied Health–Led Clinic. Published July 24, 2024. Accessed October 2, 2024. https://www.hcplive.com/view/positive-outcomes-observed-among-those-copd-nurse-allied-health-led-clinic
