Chiesi Hellas

With the initiative of the Hellenic Respiratory Society (EPE) and the sponsorship of Chiesi Hellas, the first website in Greece with instructions for home exercise (www. zoimehap. gr) was created for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The main objective of the Program is to contribute to the improvement of patients' daily lives and quality of life. It includes special videos with breathing exercises, muscle strengthening exercises, as well as exercises and instructions to improve cardiorespiratory fitness. 

• Patients with COPD
• Carers
• Public (potential patients with COPD)
• Pulmonologists
• Physiotherapists
• Ergophysiologists    

The platform was launched in 2022 and continues to this day with many future prospects                      

The dual unmet need that the Programme aspires to cover:

1. The prevalence of COPD in Greece has been estimated at 8. 4–10. 6%. The incidence of the disease is highest in older people and residents of rural areas. The total annual financial burden of healthcare is estimated at approximately 4. 729€/patient with direct healthcare costs of 2809€/patient. In most European countries, pulmonary rehabilitation programmes are integrated into the public health system and are an integral part of patient treatment. Contrary to what happens in other EU countries, in Greece pulmonary rehabilitation programs operate only in very few public institutions and are not reimbursed, so they are only available to a limited number of patients.  
2. Regular physical activity in patients with COPD has shown to improve exercise tolerance, reduce shortness of breath in daily activities, improve muscle function and health-related quality of life, and reduce hospital admissions and mortality. In case of inactivity, a vicious circle is created in which shortness of breath leads to further reduced physical activity. Therefore, both the Greek national guidelines for the management of COPD and the International Recommendations of the Global Initiative on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease recommend physical activity for all groups of patients with COPD.                   

The #LifewithCOPD program was created under the supervision of the working groups "Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease" and "Physiology & Pathophysiology of the Respiratory System – Pulmonary Circulation – Rehabilitation" of the Hellenic Thoracic Society, in collaboration with a specialized ergophysiologist and the kind sponsorship of the biopharmaceutical company Chiesi Hellas.                    

50 Chiesi Hellas employees participate in the Athens Marathon with the participation of health journalists, wearing a special T-shirt with #ΖωήμεΧΑΠ logo to raise public awareness.                     

Web application with a range of influence for any interested party with access to the internet.

Printed material in 100 Hospitals and Public Health Structures (KY). 1352 pulmonologists, 30 health journalists, 49 million the potential number of people potentially exposed to our message after the media event.                  

• 100 posters are placed in Hospitals and Public Health Structures (KY).
• A single video is created (stitching together the 7 short videos with the exercises available on the website) in order to be shown in about 30 private clinics.
• Sending a satisfaction questionnaire to 1352 pulmonologists for feedback (Open rate: 737 (55%), click through rate: 6. 3% with 85 unique clickers, 62 completed feedback forms with customer satisfaction score 95%).
• Service for Google analytics and Customer Satisfaction Button on the website
• Press event (28/11/2023)
• 30 health journalists
• Distribution of Press Release with extensive publicity
• 5 radio interviews
• 59 articles on health websites
• 24 social media posts
• 4 newsletter clippings (49 million potential people potentially exposed to our message and 60. 7k estimated equivalent advertising costs)
•  At the Panhellenic Pulmonology Congress 2023 it was announced that the Program #ΖωήμεΧΑΠ will be included in the National Guidelines of the Hellenic Thoracic Society for the management of COPD.
• It was decided to set up a three-member committee from EIA in order to prepare a feasibility report for the inclusion of pulmonary rehabilitation in IDIKA's costed operations. The current regime of pulmonary rehabilitation was discussed, which has no institutional imprint on the hospitals where it operates.
• International Respiratory Coalition (IRC): The IRC was created in September 2021. The goal is "to promote lung health and improve respiratory care.  Our vision is for every country to have the tools to implement a national respiratory strategy based on best practices. " The ultimate goal is to reduce deaths from respiratory diseases by a third by 2030. The EIA in cooperation with the pharmaceutical industry (among the companies is Chiesi) will submit -among others- the #ΖωήμεΧΑΠ Program to IRC to secure additional funding.                

The platform is an independent beyond the pill action. It is an tangible proof of Chiesi's genuine concern for patients and their caregivers, responding to the philosophy of having the patient at the center of our decisions. Chiesi, as a sponsor of the platform, is recognized as a pioneer in sustainability issues, putting actions over words, showing care and interest towards patients, caregivers and their families, health scientists, and stakeholders, strengthening its impact on people, patients and society.