Executive Summary

The Lung Learning Partnership, a consortium of the Lung Foundation of Australia, the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand and Asthma Australia, was awarded a Commonwealth-funded Grant to deliver the ‘Quality Use of Medicines in Chronic Airways Disease (QUM in CAD) Program‘. The program aims to improve the quality use of medicines and medical tests in the diagnosis and management of chronic airways disease (CAD), including asthma and COPD, through a national program of education for healthcare professionals (HCPs).

A human-centered design approach was used in Program Design, starting with gathering insights from various sources including the lived experience of people with CAD, analysing gaps in HCP capabilities using the Lung Learning Framework and self-appraisal data, and engagement with expert stakeholders including an Expert Advisory Group and Stakeholder Reference Group.

A Design Thinking Workshop with HCPs and people with lived experience of CAD generated ideas for educational solutions focused on priority issues relating to quality use of medicines. Common themes included leveraging patient stories, providing practical tools and resources and using engaging formats.

Key insights that informed the design include:

  • People with CAD suffer from lack of understanding, discontinuity of care, and limited self-management options. They need education, HCP support, peer connection and greater access to care.
  • Priority gaps in HCP capabilities relate to diagnostic testing, patient education, person-centered care, supporting self-management and shared multidisciplinary care.
  • Quality use of medicines issues span preventive care, diagnosis, treatment initiation, ongoing care, self-management support and acute exacerbations.

The QUM in CAD Program will deliver three Education Packages on 1) diagnosis of breathlessness, 2) management of COPD, and 3) management of asthma. The packages will be multi-modal, evidence-based and facilitate self-appraisal against the Lung Learning Framework.

  • Each package will target specific HCP audiences and address key capability gaps and quality use of medicine issues along the patient journey from diagnosis to ongoing management. Suggested formats include online learning, webinars, checklists, patient resources and communities of practice.
  • The packages will be hosted on a dedicated “QUM in CAD Program home” within the Lung Learning Hub and promoted widely to reach the target of engaging 5,000 HCPs.

Success will be measured by improvements in HCP behaviours relating to diagnosis, treatment, inhaler device use, patient empowerment and multidisciplinary care, as well as increased collaboration and enhanced data collection via the Lung Learning Hub.

In summary, a comprehensive design process has laid the foundation for an impactful program to address quality use of medicines in CAD through innovative, targeted education for HCPs across the continuum of care. Implementation will leverage the combined expertise and reach of Australia’s leading lung health organisations to drive meaningful improvements in HCP behaviour and patient outcomes in chronic airways disease through, person-centred educational interventions.

Downloads

Read the full Program Design Report here.

The comprehensive Program Design Report takes the reader from the background and purpose of the project, through each of the inputs in the DISCOVER phase including a thorough summary of the External Stakeholder Engagement to date. An overview of the outcomes of the participant exercises at the Design Thinking Workshop is included, as well as the eight pitches which resulted at the end of the day. These findings and insights are consolidated in the DEFINE section and then used to expand the rationale for Program Design. Finally, a recommendation for the Solution Blueprint is included to pave the way for the next phase of the QUM in CAD Program.

Acknowledgements and references are provided, along with a number of appendices covering further details of research or analysis which have formed the Program Design process.

Read the Program Design Synopsis (10 pages) here.

The Program Design Synopsis provides a summary of the process and outcomes. This ten-page overview presents key findings and insights gathered and a high-level version of the Program Design schematic and key design components.

 

Publication date: April 2024

Author: Asthma Australia on behalf of The Lung Learning Partnership

Lessons From Lived Experience
QUM In CAD Workshop Reflections