The Rural COPD Podcast: Episode 4

This episode features Michelle Collins, a registered respiratory therapist at Lincoln Health, Franklin Memorial Hospital, and Central Maine Medical Center in Maine. Working in rural, critical access, and tertiary hospitals, Michelle has a wide range of hospital experiences, a passion for cardiopulmonary medicine, and a strong concern for her patients and making sure they have access to the care that they need and the knowledge to utilize the tools at their disposal.

In this podcast, Michelle discusses her definition of leadership, the history of respiratory therapy, the gaps in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) health care, reimbursement issues related to COPD treatment and pulmonary rehab program closures, COPD patient obstacles, respiratory treatment and medication, respiratory and medical training, and the hope going forward with COPD care.

The National Rural Health Resource Center (The Center) has partnered with Dr. Bill Auxier of Rural Health Leadership Radio to produce a six-part podcast series about rural COPD and its prevalence in rural America. This series from The Center provides information about COPD, how rural providers are meeting the needs of their communities, and the importance of billing and coding appropriately while ensuring quality of care is being addressed. Each podcast features a guest with expert knowledge in COPD and rural health.