Table 2.

The breathlessness screening tool (BST) where the patient counts from 1 to 30 in their native language[23,24]

The Breathlessness Screening Tool (BST)
Method: 1)Ask the patient to take a deep breath in. 2)Then count aloud in native language from 1 to 30 in a single breath, as rapidly as possible. 3)Record the "maximum count." 4)Record the "counting time" using a stopwatch.	Maximum number of counted numbers on single breath < 7 OR Time between consecutive breaths < 5 sec Corresponds to Sp02 < 90% (on room air) with sensitivity of 87% and specificity of 82%	Caveats: 1)Tool has not been fully validated in the telehealth setting. 2)Tool correlates oxygen saturations on room air rather than on supplemental oxygen; thus, in the context of this algorithm, it can be used after the patient has been off oxygen > 1 hr*. 3)Effort-dependent, thus variable. Repeated testing may by more reliable. 4)To be used in conjunction with other indices and monitoring criteria.
	Maximum number of counted numbers on single breath < 10 OR Time between consecutive breaths < 7 sec Corresponds to Sp02 < 95% (on room air) with sensitivity of 91% and specificity of 93%

SpO2 = Peripheral capillary oxygen saturation, * = an arbitrary time interval, which can be modified by decision of home oxygen team