Table S1.

Definitions used to identify responses concordant with the GOLD global strategy treatment recommendations

Patient scenario read to physician	GOLD group (answer not provided to respondent)	For a patient like this, what would you typically prescribe? (Multiple responses allowed)	“Concordant” response definition used for this analysis
			First choice	Second choice
58-year-old female, quit smoking 10 years ago, breathlessness rated as “I walk slower than most people my age”, FEV1 65% of predicted, one moderate exacerbation requiring antibiotics in last year, unable to clean her house without becoming fatigued	B	□ Short-acting bronchodilator □ LAMA □ LABA □ ICS/LABA combination inhaler □ Theophylline □ Roflumilast □ Triple therapy (LAMA + LABA/ICS fixed-dose combination in two inhaler devices) □ Oral corticosteroids (chronic use)	LABA (± SABD or theophylline) or LAMA (± SABD or theophylline) or LABA, LAMA (respondents ticked both options) (± SABD or theophylline)	Not evaluated*
66-year-old male, active smoker since age 26 years, comorbid high cholesterol and diabetes, breathlessness rated as “only after vigorous exercise”, FEV1 40% of predicted, one severe exacerbation requiring hospitalization in last year, primary complaint is cough and sputum	C	□ Short-acting bronchodilator □ LAMA □ LABA □ ICS/LABA combination inhaler □ Theophylline □ Roflumilast □ Triple therapy (LAMA + LABA/ICS fixed-dose combination in two inhaler devices) □ Oral corticosteroids (chronic use)	ICS/LABA combination inhaler (± SABD, theophylline, or roflumilast) or LAMA (± SABD, theophylline, or roflumilast) or ICS/LABA combination inhaler, LAMA (respondents ticked both options) (± SABD, theophylline, or roflumilast)	Not evaluated*
83-year-old male, active smoker, comorbid coronary artery disease and a history of asthma, breathlessness rated as “I have to stop for breath even when walking on level ground at my own pace”, FEV1 32% of predicted, he is coming in for a follow-up after recovering from his second exacerbation in the last year	D	□ Short-acting bronchodilator □ LAMA □ LABA □ ICS/LABA combination inhaler □ Theophylline □ Roflumilast □ Triple therapy (LAMA + LABA/ICS fixed-dose combination in two inhaler devices) □ Oral corticosteroids (chronic use)	ICS/LABA combination inhaler (± SABD or theophylline) or LAMA (± SABD or theophylline) or ICS/LABA combination inhaler, LAMA (respondents ticked both options) (± SABD or theophylline)	Triple therapy (± SABD or theophylline) or ICS/LABA combination inhaler + roflumilast (respondents ticked both options) (± SABD or theophylline) or LAMA + roflumilast (respondents ticked both options) (± SABD or theophylline) LAMA + LABA Not evaluated* ICS + LAMA Not evaluated†

Notes:

^*The GOLD-recommended second choice of LAMA and LABA was not provided in the predefined medication list on the survey, as no fixed-dose combination products were commercially available at the time of the survey. Further, it was not possible to ascertain if a physician who selected both of these responses individually intended to use the products together or separately, and thus we assumed that they intended them as separate potential options

^†the GOLD-recommended second choice of LAMA and ICS was not provided in the predefined medication list on the survey, as no fixed-dose combination products were commercially available at the time of the survey.

Abbreviations: GOLD, Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease; SABD, short-acting bronchodilator; LAMA, long-acting muscarinic antagonist; LABA, long-acting β₂-agonist; ICS, inhaled corticosteroid; FEV₁, forced expiratory volume in 1 second.