A little over a year after completing a pilot study, pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and Exco InTouch have launched a mobile-enabled program in the UK to help patients manage their chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), called Me&MyCOPD.

The program has three components -- a portal in which patients can connect with providers, a server on which information is saved and messages are schedules, and an app that the patient can use. Patients can use the program to track their condition, add data from medical devices, manage clinic visits, and view information on how to deal with different lifestyle issues.

“Me&MyCOPD will help patients to better control their condition and healthcare providers to make more informed decisions, tailoring care pathways to each patient’s individual needs," Exco InTouch Director of Product Strategy Mark Brincat said in a statement. "This translates into improving patient welfare and their quality of life by reducing the number of unplanned hospital admissions and the frequency and severity of exacerbations, decreasing the overall treatment costs at the same time.” 

The program will use this data to better understand what patients need and to give them personal goals and management tools to better handle their condition. Because physicians will have real-time access to patients’ data, they will also be able to monitor the patient's adherence to treatment regimens and reach out to the patient if their condition worsens.

The pilot, which was completed in the UK in March 2013, was administered through several National Health Service Clinical Commissioning Groups and funded by AstraZeneca, with Exco InTouch providing the technology and outreach to providers. In the trial, patients also used a Bluetooth-enabled inhaler, offered by AstraZeneca, that automatically reported data to the app.