NEW HAVEN, Conn. — The COPD Foundation, a patient advocacy and research organization, and Wellinks, a digital health care company offering the first-ever integrated, virtual chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management solution, today announced a partnership to recruit eligible patients for a new research study through the Foundation’s COPD Patient-Powered Research Network (COPD PPRN).
Researchers plan to enroll between 100 and 150 adults with COPD for a 24-week prospective research study of the Wellinks solution. Wellinks combines virtual pulmonary rehabilitation, personalized health coaching, and monitoring through connected devices using a patient-friendly app.
The study aims to determine whether Wellinks can improve outcomes for patients with COPD by measuring the impact on health-related quality of life, health care resource utilization, and participant satisfaction. Impact will be assessed alongside additional measures such as pulmonary function and symptoms. The study is also designed to assess the engagement and utilization patterns of participants over time and in relation to adjustments in the program.