COPD Management

COPD impacts your life

At Central Ohio Primary Care, we have designed a program for our patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Our COPD Management program is just one of the many services included in our Population Health Management initiative that focuses on keeping our patients healthy and out of hospitals and Emergency Rooms.

According to the Center for Disease Control: *

76% of people with COPD reported that shortness of breath impacted their quality of life.

41% of people with COPD reported seeing a doctor about their symptoms in the past year.

23% of people with COPD reported going to the hospital because of their COPD in the past year.

In order to improve your overall quality of life, we highly encourage you to contact your COPC physician about joining our program. Please click the button below to learn about how we can help you manage your COPD.

COPD Management Goals

Increase Awareness

Increase awareness to show patients and physicians that COPD is not curable, but is treatable and progression can be considerably slowed.

Increase Patient Confidence

Increase patient confidence in their ability to live well and focus on their life, not the disease.

Increase Patient Success

Increase patient involvement to successfully follow individualized treatment plans and medication use.

Increase Family Awareness

Increase family awareness and decrease the anxiety associated with their loved one's diagnosis.

Smoking and COPD

The Relationship That Makes a Difference

24% of current and former smokers in Ohio have COPD. Additionally, smoking is the leading cause of COPD in the United States.* If you are struggling to quit smoking, please check out our smoking cessation program and see how we can help.

Quit Smoking Today

COPD Management Program Outline

COPD Assessment

A midmark spirometry (lung function) test may be performed if you have not received one within the past year, if there has been a change in treatment modality, or there has been a change in your COPD. Other areas that may be accessed include:

Understanding your COPD
Level of dyspnea at rest and with activity
Infection prevalence- ER and hospital visits
Your family history of lung disease
Cough and mucus production
Understanding your respiratory medications
Oxygenation and any needs for oxygen
Energy levels
Anxiety levels which may impact your respiratory condition
Your individual perception of needs

COPD Educator Intervention

As part of this program, you will learn about:

Understanding lung function
Breathing retraining techniques (pursed lips, patterned diaphragm; including how to quantify dyspnea - BORG scale)
Infection prevention/ recognition/ early intervention
Bronchial hygiene
Possible simple exercise program
Control and recognition of environmental triggers
Review of medications and proper use of inhalers. Includes understanding oxygen use and possibly a walking assessment to determine supplemental oxygen need.
Review simple energy conservation techniques
Discuss panic/anxiety control
You will also be given a written COPD action plan

Asthma Education

We strongly believe it’s important to encompass the total lung function and breathing issues for every patient, rather than focus on just one part of the equation. As part of our program, we perform a thorough lung function test to investigate our patients’ potential for asthma because its relationship with COPD is quite significant. If you have asthma and want to learn more about it, please check out our asthma education page for more information.

Learn More About Asthma

Meet the COPD Management Team

Becky Hoberty

Respiratory Therapist

Jon Lanker

RRT, RCP