Hospitalization needs during an outpatient rehabilitation program for severe chronic airway obstruction.

The number of days of hospitalization for respiratory disease following entry into an outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation program was reviewed for 44 patients with chronic airway obstruction whose hospitalization records were available for the year prior to entry into the program. A significant reduction in the number of days of hospitalization occurred in patients for each of the four years following entry into the program, compared to the year prior to therapy.