Managing Functional Biopsychosocial Outcomes Impacted by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Using Telehealth

Abstract

Purpose: The use of telehealth in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has demonstrated benefit in addressing some key treatment barriers (e.g., accessibility of health care, costs, frailty, transportation, mobility, time). This modality may hold similar promise for the management of functional impairments in this population. Telehealth has been explored within head and neck cancer and neurological populations in dysphagia; however, less is known about the use of telehealth for biopsychosocial and eating-related impacts in COPD. The purpose of this tutorial is to describe the application of telehealth to this population, discuss the modality in the context of the medical management of COPD and dysphagia management in other populations, and provide considerations for its use. We then report a case implementation of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga as a telehealth approach in this population and describe preliminary biopsychosocial and eating-related and functional outcomes. Conclusions: As grounded in the previous literature and based on the preliminary case implementation findings of a small sample, telehealth for functional biopsychosocial management in the COPD population appears acceptable, appropriate, cost-effective, and feasible. This perspective demonstrates initial proof of concept and advances the diversification of management options that may better address the various complex needs of our clinical populations.