Table 2.
Survey responses regarding eligibility and referral processes for airway clearance services (ACSs), n (%).
| All data (N = 91) | Private (N = 4) | Public – Metropolitan (N = 34) | Public – Non metropolitan (N = 53) | p value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inclusion criteria for ACSsa | 55 (60) | 3 (75) | 25 (74) | 29 (55) | |
| Exclusion criteria for ACSsb | 42 (46) | 3 (75) | 19 (56) | 20 (38) | |
| Conditions eligible for ACSs | |||||
| Bronchiectasis | 86 (95) | 4 (100) | 33 (97) | 49 (92) | |
| COPD | 85 (93) | 4 (100) | 32 (94) | 49 (92) | |
| Interstitial lung disease | 79 (87) | 4 (100) | 31 (91) | 44 (83) | |
| Lung cancer | 73 (80) | 4 (100) | 29 (85) | 40 (75) | |
| Asthma | 72 (79) | 4 (100) | 29 (85) | 39 (74) | |
| Otherc | 17 (19) | 2 (50) | 11 (32) | 4 (8) | |
| Missing | 4 (4) | 0 (0) | 1 (3) | 3 (6) | |
| 2018 ACS referralsd | |||||
| <30 | 37 (40) | 0 (0) | 7 (21) | 30 (57) | |
| 31–60 | 17 (19) | 0 (0) | 5 (15) | 12 (23) | |
| 61–90 | 6 (7) | 1 (25) | 2 (6) | 3 (6) | |
| 91–120 | 9 (10) | 2 (50) | 7 (21) | 0 (0) | |
| 121+ | 18 (20) | 1 (25) | 12 (35) | 5 (9) | <.0001 |
| Missing | 4 (4) | 0 (0) | 1 (3) | 3 (6) | |
| Conditions frequently referred | |||||
| COPD | 51 (56) | 0 (0) | 15 (44) | 36 (68) | .043 |
| Bronchiectasis | 36 (40) | 4 (100) | 18 (53) | 14 (26) | |
| Missing | 4 (4) | 0 (0) | 1 (3) | 3 (6) | |
| ACS referral mode | |||||
| Paper form | 65 (71) | 2 (50) | 25 (74) | 38 (72) | |
| Fax | 58 (64) | 3 (75) | 24 (71) | 31 (58) | |
| 54 (59) | 3 (75) | 26 (76) | 25 (47) | ||
| Electronic database | 30 (33) | 1 (25) | 14 (41) | 15 (28) | |
| Phone | 29 (32) | 4 (100) | 10 (29) | 15 (28) | |
| Othere | 11 (12) | 1 (25) | 6 (18) | 4 (8) | |
| Missing | 4 (4) | 0 (0) | 1 (3) | 3 (6) | |
| Triage ACS referrals (urgency) | |||||
| Yes | 63 (69) | 1 (25) | 27 (74) | 37 (70) | |
| No | 24 (26) | 3 (75) | 8 (24) | 13 (25) | |
| Missing | 4 (4) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 3 (6) | |
| Describe categories of urgencyf | 55 (60) | 1 (25) | 22 (65) | 32 (60) | |
ACS: airway clearance service; COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for p values <0.05 the values were in bold
a’diagnosed lung condition’, ‘catchment area’, ‘>18 years of age’, ‘association with PR program’.
b‘NDIS’, ‘DVA’, ‘cognitive impairment’, ‘absence of confirmed lung diagnosis’, ‘co-morbid conditions’.
c’neurological conditions’, ‘breathing dysfunction’, ‘cystic fibrosis’, ‘pulmonary hypertension’, ‘awaiting lung transplant’.
dresponse categories based on clinical experience of local ACS provision’.
eonline referral system’, ‘verbal referral’, ‘face to face’.
f’categories of urgency (30 day, 90 day, 1 year)’, ‘acuity’, ‘health care utilisation’.