Single home visit improves health routine.

• Position: COPD - Brief article

A single home visit to patients with severe asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) significantly may improve patient adherence with office visits and inhaler use and may reduce severe exacerbations requiring emergency department visits.

As part of the Integrated Disease Management Program of UCSF Fresno (Calif.) Center for Medical Education and Research, a single home visit was provided to 60 patients who were noncompliant to office visits as well as patients with uncontrolled symptoms.

After a single home visit there was a significant increase in compliance with office visits in the year following, increasing from 68 to 133. Similarly, Emergency Room visits decreased by 40% and patient adherence to...