Telerehabilitation Combined With Outpatient Care Reducing Rehospitalization After Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): A Case Report

Telerehabilitation is an emerging complement to conventional pulmonary rehabilitation for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but its role following acute exacerbations is not well established. We report the case of a 72-year-old man with Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease stage IV COPD on long-term oxygen therapy who was hospitalized for an acute exacerbation. After discharge, he initiated weekly outpatient rehabilitation. However, his physical activity declined, and he was readmitted after eight weeks. Following inpatient stabilization, he underwent an eight-week combined telerehabilitation and outpatient program. The patient showed improved adherence, with no further exacerbations. His six-minute walk distance increased by 32 m, COPD Assessment Test score improved by seven points, and the symptom domain of the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire improved by 10 points. This case highlights the potential of integrating telerehabilitation into outpatient care to improve continuity and prevent rehospitalization in patients with COPD.