title: Prevention and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in primary care: position paper of the European Forum for Primary Care.
abstract: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a smoking-related, progressive lung disease that represents a substantial individual, societal and economic burden. Primary care professionals have an important role in healthcare provision for patients with COPD. In this position paper we summarise the current knowledge about, and management of patients with COPD. Next, we describe the role general practitioners and other primary care disciplines (should) have to prevent, diagnose and treat COPD. Finally, we explore differences in the way particular aspects of primary care COPD disease management are available or organised in a number of European countries, in order to identify barriers and provide examples of 'best practices' for optimal primary care management of patients with COPD.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, The Netherlands. T.Schermer@hag.umcn.nl
authors.forename: Tjard
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schermer
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van Weel
authors.forename: Francoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barten
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buffels
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chavannes
authors.forename: Przemyslaw
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kardas
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Østrem
authors.forename: Antonius
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yaman
mesh_terms: D015897:Comorbidity; D005060:Europe; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*