ABOUT US > Annual Reports > 2003-2004

 

Welcome Letter from our CEO

Dear Friends:

One of the most important roles of the American Lung Association of Maine is to constantly be alert for threats to lung health. One of our most basic tasks is to take preventive action to eliminate these threats or to reduce the impact when prevention is not possible. As one organization, we can do  very little against large-scale problems. But by working effectively with other partners, we can and have accomplished great things. When we faced the threat of having one of the nation’s top young adult smoking rates, our partners and we responded by taking actions that cut the smoking rate among our teens in half in less than seven years.

Today we are learning more about another threat to lung health. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the fourth leading cause of death in Maine. An estimated 50,000 Maine people have been diagnosed with COPD. It results in over 2700 hospitalizations costing more than $28 million each year. The number of new cases of the disease in Maine is increasing annually due to our aging population and history of high smoking rates.

Both death rates and hospitalization rates vary significantly by region. Overall, our hospitalization rate is 12% higher than the US rate. But in Northern Maine, the rate is nearly 60% higher than the US rate, 42% higher than the rate for Maine as a whole and 68% higher than for Southern Maine. There are also wide variations in death rates within Maine for COPD with Northern Maine once again having the highest rate. Overall, Maine’s death rate from COPD is 22% higher than the US.

But the news about COPD is not all doom and gloom. New treatments for this disease can result in both improved quality of life and reduced demand for expensive health care services. There is a growing interest in improving the way in which COPD is detected and treated. Maine is now presented with an opportunity to develop a system of care that will prevent COPD, detect it earlier, treat it more effectively and improve the lives of people with the disease.

We dedicated our annual meeting in September 2004 to this topic of COPD. We had a presentation by the president of the American Thoracic Society on what can be done to improve care to those with COPD. We also featured a number of Maine experts. Dr. James Haley spoke about a promising project in Aroostook County to improve care to those in the region of the state most seriously affected. Dr. Lisa Letourneau presented information about how COPD care improvement could be integrated with a major statewide effort to improve all chronic care management. Finally, Dr. Dora Mills, the State Health Officer, outlined what is being done and can be done in prevention and early detection.

Over the next few years, the American Lung Association of Maine will be in the center of the action to radically change the way that COPD is seen in this state and the nation. It is unacceptable to consider this disease a “death sentence” where there is nothing that can be done to help the patient. We pledge to push for a dramatic improvement in the early detection, treatment and care of those with COPD. We will report to you, our friends and supporters on the progress being made.

Sincerely yours,

Edward F. Miller
Chief Executive Officer