COPD exacerbations (ECOPD), by definition, are acute events. They are usually associated with increased dyspnoea, increased sputum volume and purulence, decreased exercise capacity and worsening of respiratory function that frequently takes a long time to recover. Patients with COPD often wait and do not react in time to signs of disease deterioration, which results in progressive worsening and in treatment delay.

Aim of the project: to assess the feasibility and value of the implementation of an interactive telemonitoring system for earlier detection and supported management of COPD exacerbations in a community cohort preventing further deterioration requiring hospital admissions.

Type of study: non-interventional study comparing the addition of complementary a telemonitoring scheme to standard of care. Group 1 will have the usual standard of care with required appointments with their family doctor (regular or extra) on baseline and at 6, 12 and 18 months and the usual appointment scheme with the hospital pulmonologist. Group 2 will be included in the intervention group and will also keep the similar scheme of appointments with both the family doctor and the pulmonologist with added telemonitoring of symptoms and clinical parameters.