COPD: referral for pulmonary rehabilitation
Indicator
The proportion of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and Medical Research Council (MRC) dyspnoea scale 3 and above referred to a pulmonary rehabilitation programme.
Indicator type
Network / system level indicator.
The indicator would be appropriate to understand and report on the performance of networks or systems of providers.
This document does not represent formal NICE guidance. For a full list of NICE indicators, see our menu of indicators.
To find out how to use indicators and how we develop them, see our NICE indicator process guide.
Rationale
Pulmonary rehabilitation is designed to optimise each patient's physical and social performance and independence. This indicator aims to reduce disability and improve quality of life for patients who consider themselves to be functionally disabled by their COPD by ensuring they are offered a referral to a pulmonary rehabilitation programme.
Source guidance
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in over 16s: diagnosis and management. NICE guideline NG115 (2018, updated 2019), recommendation 1.2.82
Specification
Numerator: The number of people in the denominator who are referred to a pulmonary rehabilitation programme.
Denominator: The number of people with COPD (recorded anywhere in the clinical record) and dyspnoea scale of 3 or more (recorded anywhere in the record).
Calculation: Numerator divided by the denominator, multiplied by 100.
Exclusions: People who are not suitable for pulmonary rehabilitation including those who are unable to walk, who have unstable angina or who have had a recent myocardial infarction.
Data source: GP data.
Minimum population: The indicator would be appropriate to understand and report on the performance of networks or systems of providers.
ISBN: 978-1-4731-5869-6