Evaluation and Exploration on the Effect of the Management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Rural Areas through an Internet-Based Network Consulting Room.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to improve the management quality of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in rural areas.

METHODS: Two hundred forty discharged COPD patients were divided into an intervention group and a control group. In the intervention group, 120 patients established contact with doctors through the network consulting room, i.e., the doctor's mobile platform, and were managed through video, voice, and text by the doctors, kept close contact with the doctors after discharge (education, consultation), and received electronic prescriptions, and drugs were sent to the patients' door by online retailers. The patients in the control group were managed in the traditional manner. One year later, the predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)%, FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC), and CAT scores and the number of rehospitalized patients were compared between these 2 groups.

RESULTS: After 1 year of follow-up, the predicted FEV1% and the FEV1/FVC ratio were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (p < 0.05). CAT scores were lower for patients in the intervention group than for those in the control group after 1 year of follow-up (p < 0.05). After 1 year of follow-up, 22 (18.33%) patients were rehospitalized in the intervention group and 58 (48.33%) patients were rehospitalized in the control group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Doctors can improve the quality of life of patients with COPD and reduce the number of rehospitalizations through use of the network consulting room.