The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission) today launched the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Clinical Care Standard, a blueprint for patient care welcomed by Lung Foundation Australia who established the COPD-X Guidelines with the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand in 2001. The Standards will provide comprehensive, evidence- based instructions for the diagnosis, management, and treatment of COPD, including exacerbations.
With COPD currently affecting approximately 1 in 13 Australians aged 40 and over, the Standards offer much-needed clarity for both healthcare professionals and patients through Statement 3 (Education and Self-Management), which not only supports health care professionals in aligning to evidence- based practice, but also empowers patients through education to recognise what best-care looks like.
The Standards will not only help improve the quality of care for people living with COPD, but also reduce potentially preventable hospitalisations to alleviate pressure on Australia’s healthcare system. In 2018-2019, an estimated $935 million was spent on COPD, representing 21% of the disease expenditure on respiratory conditions in Australia.
Lung Foundation Australia CEO, Mark Brooke, firmly believes Australians living with COPD and those yet to be diagnosed will welcome the clarity on ways to provide excellent care.
“Lung Foundation Australia congratulates the Albanese Government and the Commission on the publication of the COPD Standards – we regard these as world-leading,” Mr. Brooke said.
“The Standards are an opportunity to improve the lived experience of people and tackle the substantial burden of COPD on our primary and tertiary healthcare systems.”
COPD exacerbations, or flare-ups, are one of the primary drivers of preventable hospital admissions among people with COPD. The new Standards address this by offering clear guidance on managing exacerbations and preventing further deterioration. This includes accurately diagnosing COPD, recommending Pulmonary Rehabilitation, reducing inappropriate use of antibiotics in the management of COPD exacerbations, and supporting antibiotic prescription in line with current best- practice guidelines.
The COPD Clinical Care Standard is informed by the latest evidence from the COPD-X Guidelines, a joint project between Lung Foundation Australia and the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand which are widely recognised as the cornerstone for COPD management in Australia. The Standards also incorporate insights from the Therapeutic Guidelines: Respiratory and Therapeutic Guidelines: Antibiotic, ensuring that clinicians have access to the most up-to-date information when treating patients with COPD.
The Commission established a Topic Working Group to advise on content development of the Standard, consisting of individuals with relevant lived experience and clinical expertise including in general practice, respiratory medicine, infectious disease, emergency medicine, pharmacy, nursing, physiotherapy, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health – from states and territories around Australia.
The COPD Clinical Care Standard is now available on the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care website. Lung Foundation Australia encourages healthcare providers and patients to engage with the new standards to ensure the highest level of care is provided for people living with COPD across the country.
Media enquiries:
Philippe Coquerand
Ph: 07 3251 3669
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