Finalist
Optimising Patient Care in COPD: A Collaboration between IQVIA Interface and Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Transformation Team
With support from IQVIA
Summary of work
2022 was a time of crisis in NHS primary care. Post the COVID-19 pandemic waiting lists were at a record high in addition to a reduction in working GPs (1). In Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR), 1,1164,661 patients were registered with general practices of which 19,431 were coded onto the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) register representing a prevalence of 1.75%. Within this group, 6,000 patients (31%) had not received a review in over 12 months. A lack of regular COPD reviews can lead to a dependence on corticosteroids, antibiotics and result in additional emergency admissions (2). Understanding the urgency of this situation for patients and health care providers, the Long-Term Conditions (LTC) Transformation team at LLR ICS collaborated with IQVIA Interface to commission a seven-week programme to provide additional clinical resource to assess and manage patients in line with Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF) care optimisation metrics.
During the seven-week project, IQVIA in partnership with LLR delivered 3,664 patient review appointments, supporting 71 GP practices (54% of practices in the ICS). As a result, there was a:
- 96% increase in patients who received a COPD review
- 171% increase in inhaler technique checks
- 212% increase in patients with a CAT assessment
Judges’ comments
Optimising Patient Care in COPD was a well thought through and executed project. It was emphatic on shared ownership and was great to see that the objectives included multiple stakeholders. It had a positive impact on patients and has clearly improved health outcomes.
