New Research Illustrates Gaps in COPD Care and the Need for Better Patient-Provider Communication

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) face significant challenges, but conversations with healthcare providers can play a critical role in helping patients understand their condition, set realistic goals, ease symptom burden and improve their quality of life, according to new research from the COPD Foundation and Phreesia.

COPD is a chronic and progressive lung disease that affects more than 16 million people in the United States and is the sixth leading cause of death.

The study, published in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: The Journal of the COPD Foundation, with funding support from Verona Pharma, was based on voluntary surveys from 1,615 COPD patients in January 2025. Patients completed the survey on Phreesia's platform after checking in for their doctor appointments and providing consent.

Patients reported significant symptom burden, with 43% of patients saying they experience COPD symptoms, including shortness of breath and fatigue, at least 24 days in a typical month and a quarter of patients reporting symptoms every day. Patients also reported significant impacts to their quality of life, with around two-thirds saying COPD had a moderate-to-great impact on their daily lives and half reporting a moderate-to-great impact on their emotional health. COPD also impacted patients' ability to work, with 15% saying they had lost a job due to their condition.

Surveyed patients also reported barriers to medication. One in five patients reported not using any maintenance medications. Among those patients, 27% said they didn't think their COPD was severe enough and 27% said their provider had not recommended maintenance therapy. Seventy-one percent of patients who had not tried any COPD medications said they would be likely to try them. And among patients who had tried maintenance medications, 80% said it was because their doctor had recommended it.

Despite this opportunity for patient-provider discussions around maintenance medications and other treatment options, the study found significant communication gaps between patients and their healthcare providers. Only 45% of patients reported having detailed discussions about their COPD symptoms with their providers, and 22% of patients said they provided little to no symptom detail during visits. Additionally, more than a third of patients reported having limited to no understanding of COPD. That percentage was even higher among Black patients and patients aged 45−64 years, 46% and 41% respectively, highlighting the potential for targeted interventions.

"These findings point to the urgent need to improve communication between patients and their providers and ensure conversations are as engaging, informative and productive as possible," said David Mannino, MD, Co-Founder and Medical Director of the COPD Foundation and the study's lead author. "Equipping patients with the right information and resources can help them take a more active role in their care and improve health outcomes."

"Given what we know about the benefits of giving patients relevant, credible health information at the point of care, these results have important implications that can be used to support patients struggling with COPD," said David Linetsky, Phreesia's President, Network Solutions. "At Phreesia, we've seen firsthand that when patients have more meaningful conversations with their providers, it helps them manage their treatment and improves quality of life."

For more information on Phreesia, visit www.phreesia.com.

About Phreesia

Phreesia is the trusted leader in patient activation, giving healthcare providers, life sciences companies and other organizations tools to help patients take a more active role in their care. Founded in 2005, Phreesia enabled approximately 170 million patient visits in 2024—1 in 7 visits across the U.S.—scale that we believe allows us to make meaningful impact. Offering patient-driven digital solutions for intake, outreach, education and more, Phreesia enhances the patient experience, drives efficiency and improves healthcare outcomes. To learn more, visit phreesia.com.

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