COPD Program Overview

How the Program Works | Facts You Need to Know | Compliance Management | National Guidelines | COPD Outcomes | High-Risk Program

How the Program Works

The Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Program provides the road map for staying as healthy as possible by educating participants on how to protect their health and maximize their remaining lung function. Alere works with participants suffering from chronic bronchitis or emphysema, the major components of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorders.

Some participants suffer from both conditions. Since COPD is caused by the gradual deterioration of the lungs, our goal is to help participants slow the disease progression.

Alere’s COPD respiratory nurse specialists provide around-the-clock triage and symptom education and respond to participant and caregiver questions on a myriad of health issues.

We teach individuals with COPD that even a few key lifestyle changes can slow disease progression, lessen symptoms and help them feel significantly better. Through educational materials and online and telephonic interactions, our respiratory nurse specialists help COPD participants develop individualized care plans according to the severity of their condition.

Throughout the process, we offer support and information on the following issues surrounding COPD:

• Lung infection – One of our major goals is to help participants learn how to recognize the early symptoms of a lung infection that could lead to hospitalization. They learn how to monitor their sputum for color, frequency, amount and consistency.
• Diet – Participants with severe COPD often lack the energy to cook food and prepare healthy meals. For instance, they burn an average of 750 calories a day just to breathe while a healthy individual burns 50 calories. As a result, many COPD participants are malnourished. We help them learn how to prepare small and nutritious meals throughout the day that provide the calories needed for energy. Eating more of the right foods allows them to metabolize medicines better, tolerate more activity and reduce the risk of developing a lung infection.
• Smoking – Participants are thoroughly educated on the effects of smoking, urged to quit immediately and directed to smoking cessation programs.
• Depression – Living with breathing difficulties and knowing the condition will only worsen can lead to depression. Our nursing staff provides emotional support and refers participants to available resources when needed.
• Treatment Compliance – Our clinicians work with participants to ensure they are using prescribed medications appropriately; spirometry testing is being used to determine the status of their condition; and oxygen therapy is being used as prescribed.

Facts You Need to Know

COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, claiming 122,283 Americans.1 With 11.4 million Americans estimated to have the disease and another 24 million showing symptoms of impaired lung function, a serious under-diagnosis of COPD is evident.2

The number of women dying from the disease has surpassed the number of men.3 The estimated healthcare cost for COPD is approximately $37.2 billion a year.4

Smoking is the primary risk factor for COPD. Approximately 80 to 90 percent of COPD deaths are caused by smoking.5 However, a recent study found that 19.2 percent of COPD cases were influenced by exposure on the job to certain industrial pollutants.6

Compliance Management

Our program is designed to help participants comply with their doctor’s plan of care, which involves several key clinical performance indicators based on national standards.

While working with participants, we track their adherence to these standards and report back measurable results to show program impact on participant compliance.

For participants with COPD, we monitor the following:

Diabetes-specific CPIs

• Bronchodilator usage
• Steroid inhaler usage
• Spirometry testing
• COPD participants not on oral corticosteroids
• Annual physician visit for COPD
• Tobacco cessation
• Screenings for colorectal, breast, cervical, prostate cancer
• Screening for Chlamydia when eligible
• Osteoporosis screening

Standard CPIs for all Care Solutions Programs

• Body mass index (BMI)
• Blood pressure
• Lipid management
• Physical activity
• Tobacco cessation
• Flu vaccination
• Pneumonia vaccination
• Preventive screenings (age and gender specific)

National Guidelines

We utilize nationally recognized clinical guidelines, along with the latest clinical research and advancements in care for each condition to drive our interventions. Alere’s Scientific Advisory Board, composed of our industry experts, guides and directs appropriate protocols for all programs.

The COPD Program is based upon samples of national guidelines from:

• American Thoracic Society
• Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD)
• Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement
• National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

COPD Outcomes

Alere’s COPD Program produced the following results for a range of clients:

• Reduced emergency room visits by 23 percent and per member per month (PMPM) costs by 29 percent
• Reduced hospitalizations by 24 percent and PMPM hospitalization costs by 37 percent
• Reduced hospital days by 15 percent

High-Risk Program

The key difference between Alere's configurable solutions, designed to address all segments of a client's population, is the use of the Alere DayLink® Monitor. It is a biometric measurement device that records a participant's answers to pre-programmed questions regarding their symptoms. This information is gathered daily and sent to our clinicians for review.

Other differences include additional assessments, including a Quality of Life Survey at enrollment and six months after the onset of the program, and a Patient Satisfaction Survey after six months. Additionally, these participants receive more telephonic outreach and coaching calls.