July 15, 2015 -- Andover, Mass. – With more than 15 million adults in the U.S. living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and hospitals under increasing pressure to adhere to 30-day COPD readmissions standards, new research published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine highlights non-invasive ventilation as a key part of a multi-faceted intervention approach to successfully reduce readmission rates among COPD patients. The study, funded and co-authored by Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), evaluated COPD patients who were hospitalized two or more times within a year and transitioned to a COPD patient management program, which included treating those same patients with noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV). The results of the study showed that the readmission rate was reduced by 97 percent during the subsequent 12 months. The study used Philips Respironics Trilogy 100 to deliver the NIPPV therapy to the study patients.

In the U.S., costs for hospital stays for patients with COPD as a principal diagnosis has been projected to be approximately $29.5 billion.[1] The readmission rate within 30 days of discharge for patients with COPD has been reported to be as high as 22.6%.[2] In this study, the proportion of COPD patients who were readmitted on two or more occasions decreased from 100% (397 of 397) in the year prior to initiation of intervention to 2.2% (9 of 397) in the following year.

“The results of this study indicate that Philips Trilogy with an advanced mode of ventilation AVAPs-AE therapy – in combination with respiratory therapist-led care, medication reconciliation and adequate provision of oxygen therapy – assisted in stabilizing the respiratory condition of patients with COPD,” said Amy Day, RRT, Director of Ventilation Management of Barnes Healthcare Services. “Such better management of the COPD condition allows health systems to not only significantly reduce readmissions and the associated high costs, but also improve the quality of life for some of its most complex patients.”


The study, entitled “Retrospective Assessment of Home Ventilation to Reduce Rehospitalization in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease” and authored by Steven Coughlin, PhD, Wei Liang, PhD and Sairam Parthasarathy, MD, examined 397 patients who had all been hospitalized at least twice in a single year with an acute COPD exacerbation. Each patient was prescribed a Trilogy ventilator manufactured by Philips Respironics for home use. Continued in home care consisted of medication management, oxygen therapy, patient education and ongoing respiratory therapist care in the home.

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