title: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease case finding by community pharmacists: a potential cost-effective public health intervention.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to pilot a community pharmacy chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) case finding service in England, estimating costs and effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients potentially at risk of COPD were screened with validated tools. Smoking cessation was offered to all smokers identified as potentially having undiagnosed COPD. Cost and effects of the service were estimated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-one community pharmacies screened 238 patients over 9 months. One hundred thirty-five patients were identified with potentially undiagnosed COPD; 88 were smokers. Smoking cessation initiation provided a project gain of 38.62 life years, 19.92 quality-adjusted life years and a cost saving of £392.67 per patient screened.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  COPD case finding by community pharmacists potentially provides cost-savings and improves quality of life.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Twigg
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thornley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000191:economics*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000191:economics*; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D016540:Smoking Cessation
keywords: COPD; community pharmacy; cost-effectiveness; health promotion; pharmaceutical public health