Article Text
Abstract
The 2008 UK national chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) audit examined the use of supported discharge programmes (SDPs) in clinical practice against British Thoracic Society guidelines. 98% of acute UK trusts participated. SDPs were available in 142 of 239 (59%) units. 1630 of 8971 (18%) patients with COPD were treated within SDPs. Median (IQR) stay in hospital for patients within SDPs and those not accepted for SDPs was 3 (1–6) days and 6 (3–11) days (p<0.001), and mortality within 90 days of admission was 4.3% and 6.7%, respectively. SDPs within the UK are safe and effective and reduce length of hospital stay without adverse effects on mortality.
- COPD exacerbations
- COPD pharmacology
- emphysema
- COPD epidemiology
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Footnotes
Funding This study was supported by the British Lung Foundation, British Thoracic Society, Royal College of Physicians and guided by the National COPD Resources and Outcomes Project (NCROP) steering group. It was funded by the Health Foundation.
Competing interests None.
Ethics approval Ethics approval was provided by University College Hospital/University College London Multicentre Research Ethics Committee (MREC).
Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.