Quality Assessment of an Integrated Care Pathway Using Telemonitoring in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Protocol for a Quasi-Experimental Study.

Background: Chronic heart failure (CHF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often coexist and are associated with a high morbidity and reduced quality of life (QoL). Although these diseases share similarities in symptoms and clinical course, and exacerbations of both diseases often overlap, care pathways for both conditions are usually not integrated. This results in frequent outpatient consultations and suboptimal treatment during exacerbations, leading to frequent hospital admissions.