A DATA DRIVEN PATIENT PATHWAY ANALYSIS OF THE CLINICAL COPD CARE IN THE HELIOS HOSPITALS IN GERMANY
Author(s)
Dorian Fass, M.Sc.1, Gábor Köhalmi, M.A.1, Sabine Spänig, PhD2, Bollmann Andreas, MD3.
1Helios Health Institute, Berlin, Germany, 2Helios Health Institute, Leipzig, Germany, 3Helios Health Institute GmbH, Leipzig, Germany.
1Helios Health Institute, Berlin, Germany, 2Helios Health Institute, Leipzig, Germany, 3Helios Health Institute GmbH, Leipzig, Germany.
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to characterize the real-world care pathway of hospitalized COPD patients across German Helios hospitals, with a particular focus on differences between pulmonology and non-pulmonology wards regarding patient characteristics, diagnostic workup, therapy, in-hospital outcomes, care settings and one-year rehospitalization rates.
METHODS: This retrospective analysis included 5,989 patients with a primary diagnosis of COPD treated across 68 Helios hospitals between January 2022 and September 2024. Data on patient characteristics, admission type, intensive care treatment, diagnostics, therapy, comorbidities, mortality, and one-year readmission rates were assessed.
RESULTS: Mean patient age was 69.5 years (SD 10.0); 36% were aged 60-69 and 32% 70-79 years. Admissions were predominantly emergency admissions (53%, n = 3,162), most frequently referred by general practitioners (58%). Overall, 53% of patients were treated on a pulmonology ward and 47% on a non-pulmonology ward. Patients on non-pulmonology wards were older (70.5 vs. 68.6 years), had a higher comorbidity burden (Elixhauser Comorbidity Score 11.6 vs. 7.3), longer length of stay (6.4 vs. 5.2 days), and higher in-hospital mortality (2% vs. 1%) compared with those on pulmonology wards. At admission, 21% of patients were not receiving any COPD medication, while 41% were on triple therapy (LABA/LAMA/ICS). Within one year, a substantial proportion of patients were rehospitalized, most commonly due to exacerbation (9.6%).
CONCLUSIONS: Care for COPD patients in German hospitals is heterogeneous: patients treated on non-pulmonology wards present a less favorable risk profile and poorer outcomes than those on pulmonology wards. These findings highlight the need for standardized, cross-disciplinary treatment pathways to improve the quality of COPD care.
METHODS: This retrospective analysis included 5,989 patients with a primary diagnosis of COPD treated across 68 Helios hospitals between January 2022 and September 2024. Data on patient characteristics, admission type, intensive care treatment, diagnostics, therapy, comorbidities, mortality, and one-year readmission rates were assessed.
RESULTS: Mean patient age was 69.5 years (SD 10.0); 36% were aged 60-69 and 32% 70-79 years. Admissions were predominantly emergency admissions (53%, n = 3,162), most frequently referred by general practitioners (58%). Overall, 53% of patients were treated on a pulmonology ward and 47% on a non-pulmonology ward. Patients on non-pulmonology wards were older (70.5 vs. 68.6 years), had a higher comorbidity burden (Elixhauser Comorbidity Score 11.6 vs. 7.3), longer length of stay (6.4 vs. 5.2 days), and higher in-hospital mortality (2% vs. 1%) compared with those on pulmonology wards. At admission, 21% of patients were not receiving any COPD medication, while 41% were on triple therapy (LABA/LAMA/ICS). Within one year, a substantial proportion of patients were rehospitalized, most commonly due to exacerbation (9.6%).
CONCLUSIONS: Care for COPD patients in German hospitals is heterogeneous: patients treated on non-pulmonology wards present a less favorable risk profile and poorer outcomes than those on pulmonology wards. These findings highlight the need for standardized, cross-disciplinary treatment pathways to improve the quality of COPD care.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-11, ISPOR Europe 2026, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue 12S
Code
HSD44
Topic
Epidemiology & Public Health, Health Service Delivery & Process of Care
Disease
Respiratory-Related Disorders (Allergy, Asthma, Smoking, Other Respiratory)