Abstract
Introduction: COPD is a global public health problem and results in social and substantial and growing economic impact. The Program Management of COPD of Bahia / Brazil (Respira Bahia Program) is an initiative of the State Secretary of Health based on multidisciplinary care and free access to medication, which aims to improve the clinical management and decision-making capacity of public health system for respiratory diseases.
Objectives: To quantify the reduction in use of health care resources among patients followed in the outpatient Respira Bahia Program at the reference clinic in the Octavio Mangabeira Specialized Hospital in Salvador, Bahia.
Methods: An observational, longitudinal and ambispective study. The indicators of the benefit for the study intervention were measured by comparing the absolute numbers of hospital admissions and emergency visits in the 12 months before and after their inclusion in the Program.
Results: 90 patients were evaluated (64 male, aged from 66.5 ± 10.4 yrs) with disease status from moderate to very severe (FEV1 39.8 ± 13.8% predict). Significant reduction was observed in the number of number emergency room visits and hospitalization admissions (of 63% e 61%, respectively).
Conclusions: The performance of Respira Bahia Program under the Public Health System was associated with marked reduction in the use of health resources for COPD.
- © 2013 ERS