COPD CARE Academy: Design of Purposeful Training Guided by Implementation Strategies.

Background: Clinical training content for real-world care delivery is important to promote high-quality care. Clinical training promotes knowledge acquisition and additional implementation strategies are needed to translate those acquired skills into practice-based changes.

Observations: The Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Coordinated Access to Reduce Exacerbations (COPD CARE) Academy is a training initiative implemented at ≥ 49 US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers. The Academy provides training on the implementation of COPD CARE programs and promotes complex care transitions. The Academy offers implementation strategies for local champions to leverage VA and academic institution partnerships.

Conclusions: The COPD CARE Academy represents an interprofessional collaboration among frontline clinicians and VA leadership to design a training program using quality improvement methodology for better care for patients with COPD.