Respiratory Diseases

The area of respiratory diseases includes measures for the treatment of persistent asthma and testing for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); two common diseases with serious implications on the quality of life and health-related expenses.

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1. Persistent asthma - Regular use of preventative drugs (not just use of relief drugs during an attack) has been shown effective in preventing complications and improving symptoms. It is recommended to maintain an Asthma Medication Ratio (AMR, ratio of preventative medications out of the overall use of asthma medications) equal to or higher than 0.5.In addition, the proportion of persistent asthma patients who receive seasonal flu vaccination is measured.

2. COPD-  is a common and preventable disease, often undiagnosed. The diagnosis is based on the spirometry test. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential to prevent deterioration. QICH measures the performance of a spirometry test in patients with COPD and persons at high risk for the disease, as well as results documentation.