Pulmonary Rehabilitation Centres adopt myCOPD to deliver rehab service remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic
Clinical Engagement Specialist Jane Stokes on innovation in the face of adversity: Digitally Enhanced Pulmonary Rehabilitation
They say that necessity is the mother of adoption, which certainly appears to be true in the world of digital health. Recent unprecedented events have resulted in the suspension of all face to face pulmonary rehabilitation services and an almost complete cessation of COPD outpatient clinics. Out of the adversity, health care services have realised that it is essential to continue to support patients with COPD to avoid deterioration and an increase in COPD emergency admissions. This has led to far greater adoption of the myCOPD platform. my mhealth have worked to support services with existing access, as well as initiating access to the myCOPD platform to support those not previously engaged. In a very short space of time services have overcome traditional barriers to adoption, adapted delivery pathways, and are already realising the benefits that digital enhancement presents.
myCOPD is a patient self-management platform referenced within the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD 2020) guidelines, the British Thoracic Society (BTS) resource pack for Pulmonary Rehabilitation, and NICE guidelines for COPD to support patient self-management and the delivery of pulmonary rehabilitation. Over 50% of health care providers in NHS England (NHSE) gained access to the myCOPD platform through the NHSE Innovation and Technology Tariff (ITT 2017/19). I have been working with services to embed the myCOPD platform with varying levels of success. There are some common themes of resistance: the ‘not invented here’ culture; making assumptions on digital capability, accessibility and appetite with the ‘not for our patients’ response; there is also a perceived threat to resources (time, jobs). However, many services have thrived with digital transformation leading to some truly innovative models of care. In 2018 an Enhanced PR programme was launched in Southend utilising myCOPD, offering a flexible approach to pulmonary rehabilitation delivery allowing patients to complete either centre- or home-based rehab or a combination of the two.






