
A collaboration between UC Davis Health and Propeller Health is aiming to improve outcomes for high-risk patients with COPD and asthma.
As part of the collaboration, UC Davis Health is providing the Propeller program – which includes sensors, a mobile app, a web portal and personalized support – to eligible patients. The program uses sensors that attach to a patient’s inhaler to capture signals to record events such as medication use or respiration. That data is then transmitted to UC Davis Health’s Epic electronic health record system.
The system will allow clinicians to track a patient’s day-to-day inhaler usage, allowing them to monitor both everyday medication usage and rescue medication use.
“The rescue will be key in alerting clinicians that the patient may be experiencing early signs of a COPD exacerbation,” said Krystal Craddock, clinical operations manager for respiratory care with UC Davis Health. “We will then be able to reach out to these patients and treat them early, hopefully avoiding unnecessary emergency room visits or hospitalizations.”
Brooks Kuhn, MD, MAS, assistant professor of medicine and director of the UC Davis Comprehensive COPD Clinic, said digital medicine represents the future of COPD care.
“Digital health devices and platforms are helping improve care for patients with chronic conditions like COPD by providing clinicians a more expansive view of our patient’s disease management,” Dr. Kuhn said. “This collaboration will help us improve the clinical outcomes of our COPD patients by identifying the need for interventions early so we can avoid serious exacerbations, preserve their lung function and improve their quality of life.”