Utility of Remote Lung Auscultation in Transitions of Care After Pulmonary Exacerbations of COPD

Utility of Remote Lung Auscultation in Transitions of Care After Pulmonary Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Listening to breath sounds with the stethoscope/auscultation is used by pulmonary physicians in conjunction with pulmonary function, signs and symptoms, oxygen saturation and diagnostic testing to admit, follow and discharge patients from hospital. Of these, only auscultation routinely ceases upon discharge from Hospital. Healthcare utilization statistics have shown that for more than a decade, readmission after discharge for an exacerbation of COPD or severe asthma (or chronic heart failure) remains a major problem. The Strados RESP Biosensor has been designed to extend the range of lung sound recording both geographically and temporally to improve the standard of care when access to continuous monitoring has been replaced by periodic or no monitoring. The primary purpose of this study is to assess the associations between RESP Biosensor-acquired lung findings and subjective measures of respiratory symptoms as measured by validated measurement tools, and objective measure of respiratory physiology as determined by home spirometry

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Males and females between the ages of 35 and 75 with documented physician-diagnosed COPD

2. Hospitalization with a primary diagnosis of COPD with exacerbation or pneumonia.

3. Patient able and willing to provide informed consent.

4. Patient can follow study procedures, including instructions for self-placement and operation of device

   a. Patient has experience using a smartphone

5. Accessible by telehealth/telephone upon discharge

6. Patient is able and willing to return to study site for study follow-up visits as necessary

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patient unable or unwilling to provide informed consent
2. Diagnosis of COPD is uncertain
3. Plan for discharge to location other than the patient's home (eg, Nursing Home, Rehabilitation facility)
4. Patient with end-stage medical condition with expected survival no more than 3 months
5. History of adverse reaction or allergy to TegaDerm®
6. Inaccessible by telehealth/telephone post discharge