Using Patient Navigation for COPD

Care coordination is a critical element of COPD management and treatment, due to both the variety of treatment models that are often employed in tandem for COPD care and the comorbidities that COPD patients typically experience. As such, patient navigation is a promising approach to supporting COPD patients as they navigate and adhere to treatment.

Patient navigators help individuals track their appointments and reconcile their medications across multiple healthcare settings, which can encourage adherence and ensure safety. Navigation is particularly useful in the context of multiple comorbidities because patients may have many appointments with different healthcare providers and various combinations of medications could result in complications.

Resources to Learn More

Growth Opportunity: More RTs are Becoming COPD Navigators
Website
An overview of the emerging role of COPD navigator and how this position may be used to prevent hospital readmission, provide patient education, and assist with follow-up care.
Organization(s): American Association for Respiratory Care

Starting a COPD Navigator Program
Document
Explores the role of a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) navigator in supporting patient care and reducing hospital readmissions. Provides examples of the work being done by COPD navigators in a variety of settings.
Author(s): Spear, L.
Citation: RT: For Decision Makers in Respiratory Care
Date: 4/2019