Innovative health care program empowers lung disease patients, caregivers and providers

ChamberPress ReleaseCommunityMember

 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Elyzabeth Marcussen, 443-837-1559
emarcussen@hospicechesapeake.org
 
Innovative health care program empowers lung disease patients, caregivers and providers
 
(PASADENA, MD, April 9, 2025) — Hospice of the Chesapeake, in collaboration with the American Lung Association and the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) announces the launch of its Advanced Lung Care Program. The program will improve the quality of care and access to hospice and supportive advanced illness care. It is specialized for patients experiencing severe symptoms from chronic lung disease, which includes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, pulmonary fibrosis, sarcoidosis, and pulmonary hypertension.
The program includes free access to the “Advanced Lung Care Patient and Caregiver Guide.” The guides can assist people living with lung disease and their caregivers in learning and practicing skills to prevent or manage respiratory symptoms at home while under the care of their care team. The Patient & Caregiver Advanced Lung Care Guide was created with the collective input of over 100 advanced illness and hospice care organizations.
Chronic lung disease is a tremendous burden for the 34 million Americans who live with the disease as well as their families and caregivers. In 2016, there were more than 2 million emergency department visits and more than 650,000 hospitalizations due to COPD, which is one of the most prevalent chronic lung diseases. COPD also costs the healthcare system more than $50 billion a year – mostly due to emergency department visits and hospitalizations.
"The Advanced Lung Care Program can empower everyone involved in the care of patients with lung disease—providers, patients, and caregivers alike—by equipping them with the knowledge and tools to manage symptoms proactively,” Hospice of the Chesapeake Vice President of Medical Affairs & Hospice Medical Director Dr. Sonja Richmond said. “It is a patient-centered yet collaborative approach to care that inspires confidence, encourages self-management, and promotes a higher quality of life for those living with chronic conditions."
To learn more about the program and for copies of the Patient and Caregiver Handbook, visit https://www.hospicechesapeake.org/hospice-supportive-care/lung-care/.
A doctor examining an old person AI-generated content may be incorrect.
Front cover of the Advanced Lung Care Patient and Caregiver Handbook.
 

###
 
At Hospice of the Chesapeake, we strive to help individuals and families facing progressive, serious illness to reimagine hope—living each day with intention and peace—while ensuring our nonprofit organization remains a vital resource for future generations. We develop care plans to minimize symptoms and focus on what matters most for patients and families in Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles and Prince George’s counties.
Caring for life throughout the journey with illness and loss is the mission of Hospice of the Chesapeake. For more information, please visit www.hospicechesapeake.org.
The National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) is a membership organization comprising 100+ not-for-profit, community-integrated hospice and palliative care providers dedicated to ensuring patients and their families have access to care that reflects their individual goals, values, and preferences. Representing providers from 37 states and the District of Columbia, NPHI and its members help design more innovative and effective models of care, advocate for comprehensive and community-integrated care customized to meet each person’s unique needs, and build collaboration between national thought leaders, decision-makers, and other healthcare stakeholders to improve hospice care. Learn more at www.hospiceinnovations.org, or to find a high-quality advanced illness care provider, call 844-GET-NPHI (438-6744).
The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy, and research. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to champion clean air for all; to improve the quality of life for those with lung disease and their families; and to create a tobacco-free future. For more information about the American Lung Association, which has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and is a Platinum-Level GuideStar Member, or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit: www.lung.org.
 
 
 
 

Innovative health care program empowers lung disease patients, caregivers and providers