Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
& Asthma Management Program

Our Approach

At QMed, our COPD and Asthma Disease and Care Management Program is an integrated model of care that builds on the trusted, established relationship between patient and physician. Our goal is threefold:

• Reduce the risks associated with the disease
• Improve the patient's health and quality of life through continual evaluation and assessment
• Help patients better manage their disease and make appropriate lifestyle changes

• Accurate patient identification: Our powerful and proprietary predictive modeling tools accurately identify patients with, or at risk of, COPD, asthma and its co-morbidities.
• Rapid enrollment: We quickly enroll these patients into the program for primary and secondary prevention. Importantly, our comprehensive review proccess includes the use of patient-specific abstracted chart data, producing electronic medical records for improved healthcare delivery.
• Risk Stratification: Sophisticated analytics stratify members into low, moderate, and high-risk groups for targeted intervention, empowering physicians with recommendations linked to the plan formulary.
• Ongoing surveillance: A continuous record of each patient's evaluations and automatic reminders for future evaluations are just some of the examples of our continuum of care to improve overall health.
• Comprehensive reporting: Health plans receive customized reports of outcomes and quality improvements to see demonstrated, positive health and financial outcomes on an ongoing basis.

The QMed Advantage—Engaging Physicians. Empowering Patients.

Using our superior healthcare information systems, we provide physicians with patient-specific, evidence-based recommendations based on data gathered from the most comprehensive array of sources—including abstracted information from patient medical charts. We ensure physicians have best information with which to make appropriate treatment decisions, to improve patient health and reduce chronic episodes.

In addition, our program proactively assists patients with:

• Patient education, using self-management guides
• Healthy lifestyle changes
• Easy utilization of a home medical device
• Explanations of physician treatment plans
• Convenient reminders for tests, labs, and vaccinations
• Coordination of family and community resources

We realize each patient is unique and requires a personal treatment strategy. This approach is the hallmark of our program.

We also provide patients with informative education and support, both medical as well as personal, to help them better manage their disease and enhance their lifestyle. Each patient receives educational materials, as well as personal services and tools, based on their specific needs. A skilled Care Manager is assigned to each patient to provide the guidance and support that COPD and asthma patients need to make critical lifestyle changes. Care Managers are the experienced, resourceful professionals who help patients set goals and achieve them.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility requirements for program participation include frequency of:

• Wheezing
• Chest tightness
• Breathing interfering with ADL's
• Visits to hospital or Emergency Room
• Spirometry results

Program Benefits

We support physicians by providing individualized recommendations for optimally managing COPD and asthma patients based on National Guidelines.

• We conduct regular chart reviews on appropriate patients to gather all pertinent information and to assess severity and other co-morbidities.
• All data from this evaluation is entered into our robust database, which utilizes stratification analysis to automatically stratify patients and generate evidence-based recommendations within 24 hours.
• When trends indicate a change in a patient's health status, the treating physician is notified and the patient can be assessed before expensive emergency room or hospital care is required.
• We recommend medications used for the management of the patient with COPD and asthma based on national guidelines.
• We remind patients of necessary vaccinations and other lab work-ups.
• We provide physicians with patient progress updates.
• We design programs to ensure minimal impact on the physicians' daily workflow.

We support patients, empowering them with self-management tools, educational materials, and individualized support specific to each patient's needs.

• We educate patients on warning signs and symptoms.
• We inform patients about the tests, exams, and medications important to their health.
• We provide patient wallet cards to help track blood pressure, lab results, and exams.
• We keep patients informed with quarterly newsletters.
• We alert patients to reminders for tests, lab work, and vaccinations.

Enrollment in our disease management programs empowers patients with self-management tools, educational materials, and individualized support specific to each patient's needs. Our Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease & Asthma Management program provides assessments of:

• Symptoms
• Lung utilization
• Past medical history
• Functional status (SF12v2)
• Environmental issues

Outcomes

Our COPD & Asthma Disease and Case Management program outcomes are proven and measurable. Our program has notable patient and physician improvements, including:

• Enhanced quality of life
• Increased usage of bronchodilators and corticosteroids
• Decrease in Emergency Room visits and hospitalizations