Danish research into disease management programmes receives international award

Margrethe Smidth from Aarhus University was honoured at the recent conference “A Breath of Fresh Air.” She won the award for the presentation of her findings from her PhD project on an active implementation of the Central Denmark Region’s disease management programme for COPD in the Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality.                                      

It is the first time that the effectiveness of disease management programmes for COPD has been subject to a longer study in the Danish healthcare system. The study shows that a close collaboration between general practice, municipality and hospitals provides a more optimal use of the healthcare system's offerings and better evaluation of the efforts made by the patient suffering from COPD.

The results reveal, among other things, that following the implementation of the new COPD disease management programme, the group of patients had fewer standard consultations and fewer hospitalisations. The patients also assessed that their own total care was better after the healthcare sector’s three parties took part in the new partnership model, in which the general practitioner acted as coordinator for treatment, primary care and self care.

The project was carried out at the Research Unit for General Practice at Aarhus University in close collaboration with general practitioners and healthcare professionals in Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality, Health Centre West and the hospitals in Herning, Holstebro and Ringkøbing, as well as the Central Denmark Region.

More than 1,000 participants from 55 countries participated in the conference in the Greek capital, exchanging ideas, engaging in discussions and learning more about research into breathing diseases and the primary healthcare sector. 

Further information

Margrethe Smidth, Research Unit for General Practice

Aarhus University, Department of Public Health

Tel. (mobile): 5035 2041

Email: m. smidth@alm.au.dk