Nurse Tele-Consultations With Discharged COPD Patients Reduce the Numbers of Readmissions

"Within 24 hours after the patient was discharged due to exacerbation in COPD the telemedicine equipment was installed at the patient's home. The patients were included for four weeks followed by a visit to the outpatient clinic with. The patient had the equipment for approximately one week and had at least one follow-up phone call. Televideo consultations could be made from 8 AM to 3 PM every day. The patient could call the telemedicine department in the same period.~During the televideo consultations the nurse made clinical observations (i.e. dyspnoea, anxiety), measured saturation and lung function and informed the patients how to prevent exacerbations. The telemedicine consultation was agreed on with the patient and the telemedicine nurse from day to day."