The Breathe Easy project aims to eliminate varying treatment outcomes and clinical uncertainty for patients with exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, admitted to South East Regional Hospital in Bega.

This project aims to provide a coordinated, equitable and integrated service for children requiring invasive long term ventilation, and their families. It also aims to support the needs of long term ventilation children at home and in the community, and provide access to a comprehensive package of ambulatory care services to decrease admission rates and days spent at hospital.

Sydney Children’s Hospital Randwick developed an integrated model of care for children with non-complex asthma, including care coordination, communication with general practitioners, parent education and emergency department resources and processes.

This project aimed to improve access to pulmonary rehabilitation and embed it as standard practice after admission to Coffs Harbour Health Campus for exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

By introducing the routine use of rapid nucleic acid amplification tests, the median time for results of accurate laboratory tests for influenza and respiratory syncytial virus infections reduced from more than three days to less than 12 hours. This has the potential to significantly enhance infection prevention and control, inpatient bed management, appropriate antiviral prescribing and antimicrobial stewardship initiatives.

This project delivers advance care planning to patients with end-stage chronic lung disease, by implementing staff training, standardising work practices for Advance Care Plan documentation, engaging general practitioners and using an evidence-based tool that predicts the risk of death within 12 months.

Royal Prince Alfred Hospital implemented the first randomised controlled trial in the world that demonstrated the benefits of using an in-line speaking valve in an Intensive Care Unit, to restore the voice of mechanically-ventilated tracheostomy patients.

The project team redesigned and implemented a new care coordination model which has transformed care delivery on the medical respiratory ward, improving safety, patient, carer and staff satisfaction.

A prospective observational study of the practice of endotracheal intubation in NSW Emergency Departments (EDs) with subsequent development of practice improvement guidelines and training.