Which chronic obstructive pulmonary disease care recommendations have low implementation and why? A pilot study

Table 1 Characteristics of the COPD patient sample

Sample characteristics	Value
Females, (%)	5 (33%)
Age, mean(SD)	75.8 (9.0) years
FEV₁%	58.2 (15.2)%
COPD severity (GOLD criteria¹)
Moderate	7 (47%)
Severe	8 (53%)
Living arrangements
Lives alone	7
Lives with partner	6
Lives with dependents (sole carer)	1
Lives in aged care facility	1
Current smokers	3
Home oxygen in use	2
Previously seen by a respiratory physician	6
Use of home support services
No assistance other than spouse/relatives	9
Domestic assistance	4
Self-care assistance	2
Number of admissions for COPD last year, mean(SD)	2.5 (1.5)
Length of stay this admission, mean(SD)	6.7 (5.7) days
Acute hospital bed days in the last 3 years, median (25^th -75^th centile)	15 (7–27.5) days
Interventions during current admission
COPD coordinator^*	9/15 patients
Physiotherapist	12/15
Occupational therapist	2/15
Admission to intensive care unit^†	1/15
New referral to respiratory physician	2/15

SD, standard deviation.
^* In this facility the COPD co-ordinator was a senior respiratory nurse, whose responsibility was to assist the medical teams to provide co-ordinated care for COPD patients.
^†For bi-level positive pressure ventilation and cardioversion.