Overview

Most people with bronchiectasis aren’t diagnosed quickly. Sometimes it can take years or even decades to figure out what’s going on. This means that many people may not be receiving the help they need. Without earlier diagnosis and treatment, bronchiectasis can lead to long-term health problems, a faster loss of lung function, and a premature death.

As a primary healthcare professional, you play a vital role in recognising and responding to bronchiectasis early. Your timely diagnosis, management and ongoing support are critical for people living with this chronic lung disease. Proactive care can help patients experience fewer flare-ups, improve their quality of life, and reduce the frequency of hospital visits.

Clinical tools for bronchiectasis

Bronchiectasis Toolbox

We’re proud to support the Bronchiectasis Toolbox. This resource was developed by the Australian Physiotherapy Association, with support from The Alfred Hospital, the Institute of Breathing and Sleep, and Lung Foundation Australia. The Toolbox website is an interactive educational resource for healthcare professionals, developed under the leadership of Caroline Nicolson and A/Prof Annemarie Lee, alongside a group of leading bronchiectasis medical experts. It’s designed to assist you with the assessment and management of people with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.

What the Bronchiectasis Toolbox covers:

• Key areas of clinical practice:
  • Pathophysiology, co-morbidities, prevalence, causes and symptoms
  • Diagnosis, management and assessment
  • Physiotherapy principles and techniques
  • Paediatric care

• Stepwise management of stable bronchiectasis – Key areas of clinical practice
  This guide provides an overview of general management strategies for adults with bronchiectasis.
• Managing exacerbations in COPD and bronchiectasis
  In this video, respiratory specialists A/Prof Lucy Morgan and Dr Belinda Cochrane, along with Nurse Practitioner in Chronic Disease Management Mrs Colleen McGoldrick, discuss key considerations for primary care health professionals in diagnosing and managing exacerbations in both chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis.

• Spirometry
  You can conduct spirometry in point-of-care settings such as a general practice or a pharmacy consulting room.
  • Identify patients who need spirometry testing using our 2-minute Lung Health Checklist
  • See the MBS online website for Medicare item descriptors for office-based spirometry for diagnosis and monitoring
  • Check the Lung Learning Hub for spirometry training courses that comply with the TSANZ spirometry course standards

Resources for your patients

Helping people understand their bronchiectasis and play an active part in managing their condition is vital for improving their health and quality of life. Lung Foundation Australia offers a range of practical resources that you can share with your patients. These can help them learn more, make positive changes and manage their own health.

These tools are designed to complement your clinical care. You can use them during appointments, give them as follow-up materials, or suggest that patients review them on their own.

• Bronchiectasis Action Plan
• This is a PDF that helps patients know the early signs of a flare-up and what to do. There’s also a video explaining the plan step by step.

• Paediatric Bronchiectasis Action Management Plan (BAMP)
  This tool helps healthcare professionals manage children with bronchiectasis together, in a consistent way. It was developed by the Menzies School of Health Research Paediatric Respiratory team and adapted by Lung Foundation Australia. The BAMP explains daily treatment routines and gives clear instructions for carers on how to recognise and respond to flare-ups.
• My bronchiectasis checklist
  This practical tool helps patients and healthcare professionals make informed decisions together, enabling patients to better manage their own health. In this video A/Prof Lucy Morgan (Respiratory Physician) talks about the key parts of the checklist.

• Bronchiectasis fact sheet
  This fact sheet is a valuable resource for educating patients, particularly those newly diagnosed with bronchiectasis. It helps to remind them of the important things you discuss in your appointments. It covers:
  • Causes
  • Diagnosis
  • Medications
  • Ways to manage the condition themselves
• Bronchiectasis infographic
  This is a quick guide you can give to patients. It summarises important Australian information, risk factors, symptoms, medication options, and support resources.
• Quit smoking support
  This provides advice and tools based on evidence to help people stop smoking and prevent more lung damage.
• Webinar: Understanding spirometry
  n this online session, Respiratory Scientist Iain Smith and Lung Foundation Australia’s Respiratory Care Nurse, Amanda Curran, share information and advice about spirometry for patients.

• Pulmonary rehabilitation toolkit
  These are easy-to-understand guides that explain why pulmonary rehabilitation is beneficial and how to find a local program.
• Lungs in Action
  Information about ongoing exercise groups in the community for patients who have completed pulmonary rehabilitation.
• Daily symptom and lifestyle tips
  Advice on how to manage breathlessness, and information about diet and nutrition when you have a lung disease.

The best thing you can do for your patients is to connect them with Lung Foundation Australia. You can direct them to the bronchiectasis on our website or print out resources to use in your clinic. This will help them feel supported, informed and more confident in managing their condition.

References

1. Polverino, Goeminne, McDonnell et. al. (2017). “European Respiratory Society guidelines for the management of adult bronchiectasis”. European Respiratory Journal 2017. 50(3): 1700629; DOI: 10.1183/13993003.00629-2017