National launch of KSS AHSN’s COPD dashboard

KSS AHSN has launched a national dashboard to support improvement in the care of hospitalised chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, reducing variation and ultimately improving patient safety and care on discharge. 

Through its Respiratory Network, KSS AHSN has been working to improve the quality, availability and accessibility of respiratory services, and reducing unwarranted variation in the management of COPD since 2010. 

The British Thoracic Society (BTS) COPD Discharge Care Bundle, adapted locally as the KSS COPD Discharge Bundle, describes five high impact measures to ensure the best clinical outcomes for patients admitted with an acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD). 

The aim is to reduce the number of patients who are readmitted following discharge after an AECOPD, and to ensure that all aspects of the patient’s COPD care are considered. 

The care bundle has been proven to reduce variation in outcomes, including both length of stay and in-hospital mortality rates in KSS. It has also been chosen by the Patient Safety Collaboratives as one of four key adoption and spread national programmes to be rolled out across England. 

 As part of that spread KSS AHSN has now released a dashboard that supports effective delivery of the COPD Discharge Care Bundle, thereby supporting improvement in the care of hospitalised COPD patients, reducing variation and ultimately improving patient safety and care on discharge. 

Commenting on the initiative, Ellie Wells, KSS AHSN Programme Manager, said: 

“Through strong collaborative working across our KSS clinical network we’ve been able to prove the impact of the care bundle and demonstrate sustainable improvement in clinical outcomes and the quality of care received on discharge, and we’re thrilled to be able to help spread and support better bundle adherence across the NHS in England. 

“This first release of the dashboard provides insight into discharge bundle delivery and outcomes, we plan to add some additional features including a score card infographic, COPD case ascertainment, outcomes and a detailed user-guide shortly.”