Order sets, or a checklist of steps, was shown to help patients with worsening COPD spend less time in the hospital when used by a physician.

Order sets help doctors and other clinicians choose the most appropriate care for a patient and can help improve care across several diseases. A new study, published today in the Canadian Respiratory Journal and led by Dr Samir Gupta, is the first to examine the impact of order sets on patients with worsening COPD.

COPD, a lung disease that includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, is the fourth leading cause of death globally and is the leading cause of hospitalization in Canada.

“Using order sets to manage worsening COPD can lead to better medical care and better results for patients,” said Dr Gupta, a respirologist at St. Michael’s Hospital. “By providing doctors with the best, evidence-based information at the point in time when they are deciding on medications and tests for their patients, we can improve doctors’ adherence to best practices.”

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