Table 4.
Program metrics of airway clearance services (ACSs), n (%).
| All data (N = 91) | Private (N = 4) | Public -Metropolitan (N = 34) | Public - Non-Metropolitan (N = 53) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focus of ACSs | ||||
| Chronic condition self-management | 81 (89) | 4 (100) | 32 (94) | 45 (85) |
| Management of acute exacerbation | 60 (66) | 2 (50) | 23 (68) | 35 (66) |
| Hospital avoidance | 50 (55) | 2 (50) | 20 (59) | 28 (53) |
| Reducing length of stay of clients | 36 (40) | 1 (25) | 12 (35) | 23 (43) |
| Blank | 6 (7) | 0 (0) | 1 (3) | 5 (9) |
| Measures of health care utilisation recorded | ||||
| No measures recorded | 59 (65) | 3 (75) | 21 (62) | 35 (66) |
| Number of hospital admissions | 25 (27) | 1 (25) | 12 (35) | 12 (23) |
| Number of hospital presentations | 21 (23) | 0 (0) | 10 (29) | 11 (21) |
| Duration of hospital admission (i.e. LOS) | 13 (14) | 1 (25) | 7 (21) | 5 (9) |
| Number of GP visits | 3 (3)3 (3) | 0 (0)0 (0) | 2 (6)2 (6) | 1 (2) |
| Number of resp physician appointments | 6 (7) | 0 (0) | 1 (3) | 5 (9) |
| Blank | ||||
| Measures of functional capacity used in ACSs | ||||
| Six minute walk test | 65 (71) | 3 (75) | 22 (65) | 40 (75) |
| No measures of functional capacity used | 20 (22) | 1 (25) | 11 (32) | 8 (15) |
| Othera | 18 (20) | 3 (75) | 8 (24) | 7 (13) |
| 4 meter gait speed | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Blank | 6 (7) | 0 (0) | 1 (3) | 5 (9) |
| Measures of health status used in ACSs | ||||
| COPD assessment tool (CAT) | 34 (37) | 1 (25) | 16 (47) | 17 (32) |
| St Georges respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ) | 30 (33) | 0 (0) | 10 (29) | 20 (38) |
| No measures of health status used | 28 (31) | 3 (75) | 11 (32) | 14 (26) |
| Otherb | 17 (19) | 0 (0) | 7 (21) | 10 (19) |
| Chronic respiratory questionnaire (CRQ) | 13 (14) | 0 (0) | 7 (21) | 6 (11) |
| 36-Item short form health survey (SF-36) | 6 (7) | 0 (0) | 2 (6) | 4 (8) |
| The quality of life questionnaire – bronchiectasis (QOL-B) | 3 (3) | 0 (0) | 1 (3) | 2 (4) |
| 12-Item short form health survey (SF-12) | 2 (2) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 2 (4) |
| Blank | 6 (7) | 0 (0) | 1 (3) | 5 (9) |
ACS: airway clearance service; LOS: length of stay; resp: respiratory
a‘step tests’, ‘timed up and go’, ‘10 metre walk test’, ‘spirometry’
b‘Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale’, ‘Leicester cough questionnaire’, ‘Depression Anxiety Stress Scale’, ‘BODE index’