Video Telehealth Pulmonary Rehabilitation to Reduce Hospital Readmission in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Participant will be asked to exercise 3 times a week at their home for 60 minutes each session, via live two-way videoconferencing using a data-enabled smart phone or similar device. A total of 36 sessions will be administered over 13 weeks post-discharge. Sessions will be administered by exercise physiologists located at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Each session will be scheduled with up to three other participants at a time to mimic group sessions as delivered at center-based pulmonary rehabilitation programs. Exercise sessions will include aerobics, strength or resistance training, breathing exercises, and education sessions. The exercise plans will be tailored according to the participants' baseline exercise tolerance as determined by an initial six minute walk test and their answers to the questionnaires at the baseline visit.