INITIATING HEALTH FORECASTING IN THE MANAGEMENT OF COPD IN PRIMARY CARE

It has long been acknowledged that a relationship exists between winter weather conditions and COPD resulting in increased exacerbations and hospital admissions. Such exacerbations carry a high morbidity and mortality and can profoundly affect individual patient's quality of life. An initiative pioneered by the Met Office of using weekly weather forecasts were provided enabling the COPD outreach team to target those COPD patients most vulnerable of developing an exacerbation and to prevent further deterioration or possible hospital admissions.

This initiative was incorporated into our daily clinical practice (December 2005) and involved each team member identifying their most vulnerable patients who were at risk of developing frequent exacerbations and those who were prone to hospital admissions during the winter months. Information packs issued by the Met Office and individualised written management plans on how to recognise early symptoms of an exacerbation and management was left with each patient. Patients were either visited or contacted by phone at frequent intervals to offer support and advice regarding taking care of themselves and keeping warm.

This initiative has been effective and easy to implement and was well received by patients. During the winter 2005/06, which has been the coldest for some years, COPD admissions were down compared to the same period last year.   

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