Better Lives with Care.Wallet: COPD in Australia

In 2017–18, almost 5% of Australians aged 45 and over were living with COPD Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Indigenous Australians were 2.5 times more likely to have the disease than others. People with COPD rate their health worse than people without the condition. In 2015–16, COPD cost the Australian health system an estimated $975 million, representing a quarter of disease expenditure on respiratory conditions.

COPD is a serious, progressive condition that limits airflow in the lungs. The disease is characterized by airflow limitation that is not fully reversible with the use of medication. People with COPD may also have a persistent cough with sputum due to excessive mucus production in the airways (known as chronic bronchitis) or evidence of lung tissue destruction, enlargement of the air sacs and further impaired lung function (known as emphysema). COPD can interrupt daily activity, sleep patterns, and the ability to exercise.

Healthcare providers and care coordinators can use the HAYFT Care.Card to keep in touch with patients and even issue other Care.Cards to help prevent and manage this chronic disease. Patients and family members also find it easier with Care.Wallet to manage COPD. In just a few clicks, patients can track and share their daily activity, health condition, sleep patterns, and exercises. When it’s time to visit a doctor, patients can use the transportation solution in Care.Wallet to get to their appointments, regardless of where they’re located, making the process simpler and easier for all.

Using the Solve.Care Platform, it’s possible to build a Care Network that puts the patient in the center of care. Sharing medical information between providers can be done quickly and securely through Care.Wallet.

Implementing these solutions, and others like them, will help create a health system that’s more accessible and efficient for people wherever they may live.

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