title: Avoiding hospital admission in COPD: impact of a specialist nursing team.
abstract: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common, preventable and incurable disease. The costs of caring for patients with COPD is estimated to be more than £800 million a year for acute hospital admissions alone ( Department of Health, 2012 ). The hospital-at-home model is increasingly being adopted for COPD patients following British Thoracic Society (BTS) guidelines for the delivery of hospital admission-avoidance schemes ( BTS, 2007 ). The aim of this case-note review was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a specialist nurse-led acute respiratory assessment service working with COPD patients in the community. The review recorded patient flow through the service and documented assessments and treatments. It was able to document potential benefits and cost savings.
authors.affiliation: Senior Clinical Nurse Specialist - Respiratory, Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust, Lincoln.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Nurse Specialist, Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust, Lincoln.
authors.forename: Susan C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Macleod
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Nurse Specialist, Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust, Lincoln.
authors.forename: Caroline J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.affiliation: Research Fellow, Lincoln Institute for Health, University of Lincoln, Lincoln.
authors.forename: Arwel W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Complex Case Manager Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust, Lincoln.
authors.forename: Jacqui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Trueman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017046:Cost Savings / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000191:economics*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009746:Nursing, Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000191:economics* / Q000451:nursing*; D013222:State Medicine / Q000191:economics*; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: Chronic disease; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Cost-benefit analysis; Specialist nurses