Why COPD patients keep coming back — and what pharmacy leaders are doing about it
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S.¹ and one of the most common drivers of hospital readmission. One in five hospitalizations for COPD results in a return visit² — and for patients with repeated exacerbations, the window between episodes tends to collapse, meaning the revolving door spins faster with each admission.³
Pharmacy leaders across the country are working to interrupt that cycle, but the gap between strong clinical results and C-suite investment remains a real obstacle.
This report, drawn from an executive roundtable at the Becker's Healthcare Spring Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit, offers a practical look at how pharmacy teams are closing care gaps in COPD, from post-discharge follow-up to eosinophil-guided treatment decisions.
Key learnings include:
Pharmacy leaders across the country are working to interrupt that cycle, but the gap between strong clinical results and C-suite investment remains a real obstacle.
This report, drawn from an executive roundtable at the Becker's Healthcare Spring Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit, offers a practical look at how pharmacy teams are closing care gaps in COPD, from post-discharge follow-up to eosinophil-guided treatment decisions.
Key learnings include:
- How one community hospital drove a nearly 70% reduction in COPD readmissions and cut length of stay by roughly a day and a half⁴
- Why transitions of care extend far beyond the inpatient-to-outpatient handoff
- How eosinophil testing is being used to guide medication decisions and reduce repeat ED visits
- How pharmacy leaders are framing clinical outcomes in the financial terms that secure C-suite resources
Please fill out the form to download the whitepaper.
References
1.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, "Deaths: Leading Causes for 2022."
2. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, "Clinical Conditions With Frequent, Costly Hospital Readmissions by Payer."
3. Suissa S, Dell'Aniello S, Ernst P. "Long-term natural history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: severe exacerbations and mortality." Thorax, 2012.
4. Insights from an executive roundtable at the Becker's Healthcare Spring Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit, hosted by Sanofi.
MAT-US-2606221-v1.0-06/2026