Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
& Asthma Management Program
We provide a strong support network of dedicated and caring professionals, in collaboration with your physician, whose collective goal is to:
- Reduce the risks associated with your disease
- Improve your health and quality of life through continual evaluation and assessment
- Help you to better manage your disease and make appropriate lifestyle changes
Empowering Patients
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Enrollment in our disease management program empowers you with self-management tools, educational materials, and individualized support specific to your needs. Our program provides assessments of your:
- Symptoms
- Lung and breathing capacity
- Past medical history
- Functional daily living status
- Concerns relating to environmental issues
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In addition, our program proactively assists you with:
- User-friendly patient education and easy-to-use self-management guides
- Healthy lifestyle changes
- Easy utilization of a home medical device to assess and improve breathing
- Explanations of physician treatment plans
- Convenient reminders for tests, labs, and vaccinations
- Coordination of family and community resources
Engaging Physicians
The foundation of our work, the core of our philosophy, is the value we place on the patient-physician relationship—it drives everything we do. We support physicians by basing recommendations on proven practice guidelines, an essential factor in ensuring you receive the best care possible. This plan of care provides the most up-to-date treatments available, including use of:
- Bronchodilators (both short- and long-acting): Important drug delivery systems which improve your breathing if operated correctly
- Corticosteroids: Your physician will assist you in the proper procedures for administering these and other medications
In addition, we provide timely reminders to your physician regarding your vaccination and lab schedules. We also work with your physician to monitor your progress on an ongoing basis.
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If you have asthma, you can take an active role in controlling your disease by identifying and reducing exposure to those factors that increase symptoms or cause asthma attacks. Being aware of these factors and avoiding them can significantly reduce the frequency or severity of asthma attacks.
- Upper respiratory infections: Colds and flu, bronchitis (infection of the large airways), or sinus infections.
- Inhaled allergens: 80% of people with asthma have allergies to airborne substances such as trees, grass and weed pollens, mold, animal dander, dust mites, and cockroach particles.
- Medications: Many people with asthma are sensitive to aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), ketoprofen (Orudis), and beta-blockers (used to treat migraine headaches, heart disease, high blood pressure and glaucoma).
- Food and food additives: Certain foods contain trigger substances.
- Exercise: Strenuous exercise can cause a narrowing of the airways in about 80% of people with asthma.
To learn more visit our Positive Directions program.
- Irritants: In addition to air pollution, occupational dust or vapors, many other irritants include tobacco smoke, smoke from wood-burning appliances or fireplaces, strong odors from perfumes and cleaning agents.
- Weather: Cold air, changes in temperature and humidity.
- Strong emotions: Anxiety, crying, yelling, stress, anger or laughing hard.
For helpful "How-To Tips," visit our Patient Education information.
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The QMed Advantage
Our disease management program provides a holistic approach—a seamless integrated model of long-term, patient-centered care—that strives to address your individual needs as it relates to your disease state, and to improve your overall health. Building on the strength of the patient-physician relationship, our programs provide best- practice recommendations based on your ongoing evaluation, which produces proven results on a consistent basis. Customized care plans are coordinated by a dedicated team of experts and are supported by patented, proprietary technology. We manage every facet of care to help you achieve your fullest potential.
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