Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Pulmonary rehabilitation is one of the most important interventions for people diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and also benefits those with other chronic respiratory conditions.
The benefits can last approximately 12 months and can include:
- Increased physical fitness and functioning
- Reduced breathlessness
- Reduced hospital admissions
- Reduced length of stay in hospital
- Improved health-related quality of life
- Improved mood and motivation
- Improved knowledge and ability to manage lung condition
- Increased participation in everyday activities.
Metro North pulmonary rehabilitation programs consist of exercise and education for 8 weeks and include:
- Comprehensive assessment at beginning and end of program
- Tailored exercise program is prescribed and progressed for each participant
- Education on lung conditions, self-management strategies and encouragement of active lifestyle
- Provision of a tailored home exercise program
- A report of pre and post outcome measures and achievements provided to the referrer and their GP
- Suitable clients will be assessed for virtual home-based care delivery.
Locations of Metro North Queensland Health provided pulmonary rehabilitation programs
| Program | Details |
| Community & Oral Health (COH) Complex Chronic Disease Team | Flexible models available including telerehabilitation
Group based program twice weekly North Lakes Health Precinct
Burpengary Leisure Centre
|
| Herston – Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital | Group based program twice weekly
Tuesday and Friday |
| Chermside – The Prince Charles Hospital | Group based program twice weekly
Monday and Friday |
Lung Foundation Australia Website.– locations and further information regarding programs available within Australia
Inclusion Criteria for Pulmonary Rehabilitation
- Have COPD, bronchiectasis, interstitial lung disease or other chronic respiratory condition
- Can be recovering from an acute exacerbation
- Are willing and able to participate in a progressive exercise program
- Are independently mobile with or without aid
- High Functioning participants will NOT be excluded from accessing MNHHS Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programs
- Participants with pulmonary arterial hypertension or other complex respiratory disease will only be accepted into a Metro North Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program with a specialist or Nurse Practitioner referral.
- Can be a current smoker
Exclusion Criteria for Pulmonary Rehabilitation
- Have unstable cardiovascular disease (e.g. unstable angina, aortic valve disease, unstable pulmonary hypertension)
- Have severe cognitive impairment
- Have severe psychotic disturbance
- Referred for weight loss to treat sleep apnoea and do not have a chronic respiratory disease
Referral requirements
A referral may be rejected without the following information.
- Confirmed diagnosis of chronic lung condition
- Relevant medical history
- Current phone contact details for patient
- Meets inclusion and exclusion criteria as above.
Additional useful information (useful for processing the referral)
- Original diagnostic or most recent lung function test (preferably within the last 12 months) including FVC, FEV1 and FEV1/FVC ratio (measured values and % predicted)
- Current medications – particularly respiratory and cardiac medications
- Supplementary oxygen requirements if applicable (including oxygen prescription details or specialist letter)
- Recent respiratory specialist letters.
Australian Catholic University (ACU)
Referrals to ACU can be made via the above processes (to your nearest Metro North site). Please indicate on the referral that the patient would prefer ACU. Referrals will be forwarded to ACU from Metro North. ACU does not currently accept direct referrals for pulmonary rehabilitation.
Out of catchment
Metro North Health is responsible for providing public health services to the people who reside within its boundaries. Special consideration is made for patients requiring tertiary care or services that are not provided by their local Hospital and Health Service. If your patient lives outside the Metro North Health area and you wish to refer them to one of our services, inclusion of information regarding their particular medical and social factors will assist with the triaging of your referral.
- Impact on employment
- Impact on education
- Impact on home
- Impact on activities of daily living
- Impact on ability to care for others
- Impact on personal frailty or safety
- Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- To establish a diagnosis
- For treatment or intervention
- For advice and management
- For specialist to take over management
- Reassurance for GP/second opinion
- For a specified test/investigation the GP can’t order, or the patient can’t afford or access
- Reassurance for the patient/family
- For other reason (e.g. rapidly accelerating disease progression)
- Clinical judgement indicates a referral for specialist review is necessary
- Presenting symptoms (evolution and duration)
- Physical findings
- Details of previous treatment (including systemic and topical medications prescribed) including the course and outcome of the treatment
- Body mass index (BMI)
- Details of any associated medical conditions which may affect the condition or its treatment (e.g. diabetes), noting these must be stable and controlled prior to referral
- Current medications and dosages
- Drug allergies
- Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs use
- Full name (including aliases)
- Date of birth
- Residential and postal address
- Telephone contact number/s – home, mobile and alternative
- Medicare number (where eligible)
- Name of the parent or caregiver (if appropriate)
- Preferred language and interpreter requirements
- Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- Full name
- Full address
- Contact details – telephone, fax, email
- Provider number
- Date of referral
- Signature
- Willingness to have surgery (where surgery is a likely intervention)
- Choice to be treated as a public or private patient
- Compensable status (e.g. DVA, Work Cover, Motor Vehicle Insurance, etc.)
Specialists list
Send referral
Hotline: 1300 364 938
Medical Objects ID: MQ40290004P
HealthLink EDI: qldmnhhs
Mail:
Metro North Central Patient Intake
Aspley Community Centre
776 Zillmere Road
ASPLEY QLD 4034
Health pathways
Access to Health Pathways is free for clinicians in Metro North Brisbane.
For login details email:
healthpathways@brisbanenorthphn.org.au
Login to Brisbane North Health Pathways:
brisbanenorth.healthpathwayscommunity.org