CHESTThought Leader BlogCHEST Joins the National Effort to Reduce the Burden of COPD

CHEST Joins the National Effort to Reduce the Burden of COPD

October 26, 2017

On May 22, the National Institutes of Health in a collaborative effort with representatives from across the entire COPD community, released the COPD National Action Plan. This first-of-its-kind document provides a unified framework to guide stakeholders nationwide in their efforts to work together to positively impact the effect of the disease.

The Action Plan addresses the needs of patients and the greater public, health care delivery and practice guidelines, research potential, and policy implications. Broken into five goals, each goal of the Action Plan is designed to address a different aspect of COPD so that the entire spectrum of complex issues related to the disease is covered.

Goal 1: Empower patients, their families, and caregivers to recognize and reduce the burden of COPD
Goal 2: Equip health-care professionals to provide comprehensive care to people with COPD
Goal 3: Collect, analyze, report, and disseminate COPD data
Goal 4: Increase and sustain COPD research
Goal 5: Turn COPD recommendations into research and public health care actions

COPD is the third leading cause of death in the United States; it affects 16 million Americans diagnosed with the disease and millions more who likely do not know they have it. Over time, this lung disease can affect the ability to breathe and lead to long-term disability. Although COPD is not curable, it is highly treatable, and early diagnosis can lead to an improved quality of life.

CHEST is excited about the release of this plan, and we look forward to collaborating with others in the COPD community to ensure its successful implementation. We will continue to provide resources and empower health-care professionals, patients, their families, and caregivers regarding COPD, in alignment with Goals 1 and 2. During the 2017 CHEST Annual Meeting, a panel of physicians, patients, and advocates will discuss the COPD National Action Plan on Sunday, October 29, from 1:30 – 3:00 PM in room 604 of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Everyone has an important role to play in the success of the COPD National Action Plan. Join us in the national effort to address COPD. To learn more about the Action Plan, visit COPD.nih.gov.