Long-Term Integrated Telerehabilitation of COPD Patients. A Multi-Center Trial

Long-Term Integrated Telerehabilitation of COPD Patients. A Multi-Center Randomized Controlled Trial

This research project aims to conduct a three-arm multi-center randomized controlled trial (RCT) on an innovative telerehabilitation intervention for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The overall purpose of the RCT is to demonstrate whether long-term integrated telerehabilitation involving exercise training at home, telemonitoring, and education/self-management will prevent hospital readmissions, thus reducing healthcare costs, for patients with COPD, and will improve patient status and quality of life.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of COPD
• At least one COPD-related hospitalization or COPD-related emergency department presentation in the previous 12 months to enrollment
• Capable to provide signed written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Attendance to a rehabilitation program in the previous 6 months of enrollment
• Participation in another study that may have an impact on the outcome of this study
• Deemed by the health care team to be physically uncapable to perform the study procedures
• Presence of comorbidities wich might prevent the patient from safely undertake an exercise program at home
• Home environment not suitable for installation and use of rehabilitation and monitoring equipment (e.g. physical space, Wi-FI Internet or mobile Internet via 4G)