title: The authors reply.
authors.affiliation: General Internal Medicine, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA OptiStatim LLC, Longmeadow, MA Center for Quality of Care Research, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA.
authors.forename: Mihaela S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Stefan
authors.forename: Brian H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Nathanson
authors.forename: Peter K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Lindenauer
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000628:therapy*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial