Comparison of Therapist-Directed and Physician-Directed Respiratory Care in COPD Subjects With Acute Pneumonia

In this retrospective analysis, researchers compared therapist- and physician-directed respiratory therapy on hospital stays and 30-day readmission rates in COPD patients with acute bacterial pneumonia. The researchers identified no significant differences in either hospital stay or readmissions outcomes by type of respiratory therapy provided; in addition, protocol type and disease severity did not influence outcomes for either therapy type.