Community Based Self Management of COPD Facilitated by a Palliative Care Team:Impact on Health Care Utilization and QOL

The purpose of this study is to compare in home support services for patients with COPD with usual care. The study is designed to evaluate the impact of an interdisciplinary palliative care team on community based self management of advanced COPD.

A total of thirty patients will be enrolled into this study. Twenty patients will be randomly assigned to receive usual care, and ten patients will be randomly assigned to usual care plus in home support services. This study will use objective criteria to identify patients with COPD likely to benefit from home based palliative care services. The patients will undergo initial assessment by medical, social work, and spiritual care personnel followed by a family meeting to establish a care plan. Periodic scheduled visits, and as needed unscheduled visits to address urgent needs will occur over one year's time in an attempt to return patients with COPD to the center of decision making regarding their care, avoid acute exacerbations and thereby avoid unscheduled clinic and ER visits. Patients will complete the QOL survey and symptom assessment scale upon initial intervention. After obtaining information from all patients who qualify for the study, participants will be randomized into cohorts. Those who are randomized to serve as cases will be provided with community based self management services by an interdisciplinary palliative care team. The control group will receive standard care. At the conclusion of 12 months both cases and controls will again complete the QOL survey,medical utilization, and symptom assessment.