Keeping patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) out of hospital and in the community revisited – featuring Dr. Denise McLeod

Dr. Denise McLeod has always had a passion for caring for others. She worked for 12 years as a nurse before pursuing her dream career as a family physician. In her current practice she cares for patients across life’s spectrum, from newborns to palliative care. To better support her patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is the 4th leading cause of death in Canada, Dr. McLeod started group medical visits, with the goal of improving self management to avoid emergency room visits. These innovations not only improved things for her patients, but also inspired other physicians to adopt COPD group medical visits in their communities.