Primary healthcare professionals now have access to a new, free online education program designed to enhance their skills in managing chronic airway diseases such as breathlessness, COPD, and asthma.
Funded by the Australian Government, this initiative is delivered by the Lung Learning Partnership, comprising the Lung Foundation Australia, The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ), and Asthma Australia.
The Quality Use of Medicines in Chronic Airways Disease (QUAD) program, available on the Lung Learning Hub, provides peer-reviewed and accredited education packages. Lung Foundation Australia CEO Mark Brooke highlighted the program’s potential to revolutionise primary care: “QUAD’s education packages will be a game changer for primary care practitioners, giving quick access to the latest information based on best practice and evidence-based guidelines. Ensuring Australian healthcare providers can optimize their skills means better patient outcomes through the highest level of respiratory care.”
Anthony Flynn, Director of Health Knowledge and Translation at Asthma Australia, emphasised the consultative design process involving healthcare professionals and individuals with lived experience. “The QUAD education packages are an important step forward in empowering healthcare professionals with the knowledge and tools they need to manage asthma and other chronic airways diseases more effectively,” Flynn stated.
“By providing this education, we are working to bridge the gap between what people with chronic airways diseases need and what many of them receive, supporting healthcare professionals to deliver best-practice, person-centred care.”
TSANZ CEO Vincent So added that a panel of TSANZ members, who are experts in respiratory medicine and science, conducted the peer review process to ensure the quality of the education materials.
The first QUAD education package, now available, focuses on breathlessness and has been approved by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) for three hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD). This package helps healthcare professionals:
- Identify breathlessness as a significant symptom for chronic airways disease and other conditions.
- Determine when ongoing breathlessness is due to chronic airways disease despite optimization.
- Implement appropriate diagnostic and referral pathways, including blood tests, lung function testing, imaging, and cardiac investigations.
- Use effective breathlessness management strategies.
Mark Brooke also announced that asthma and COPD education initiatives will be launched in late 2024, with pre-registration currently open.
Ritchelle is a Content Producer for Healthcare Channel, Australia’s premier resource of information for healthcare.
