Grant: Planning and Dissemination Grant - Institute Community Support

People with chronic lung conditions benefit from pulmonary rehabilitation, which helps improve their breathing, exercise capacity, and overall quality of life. However, many people, especially those in rural or remote areas, cannot access pulmonary rehabilitation due to barriers like distance, transportation challenges, and a shortage of local services. Pulmonary Tele-Rehabilitation, which uses telehealth technologies to provide these services remotely, has emerged as a promising solution to make rehabilitation more widely available. However, clear guidelines are needed to ensure quality and safety in virtual programs. This project will bring together Canadian and international experts, including healthcare providers, researchers, and patient representatives, to reach agreement on best practice recommendations for Pulmonary Tele-Rehabilitation. Using a method that gathers and refines expert opinions through a series of online surveys and a final interactive virtual meeting, the team will work collaboratively to establish recommendations that help Pulmonary Tele-Rehabilitation programs provide the highest possible quality care. This process will help ensure that the guidelines are comprehensive and reflect a range of professional insights and patient needs. The goal is to create a set of recommendations that healthcare providers can use to deliver effective and safe Pulmonary Tele-Rehabilitation programs that are more accessible to people with chronic lung conditions.