The National Lung Health Education Program

Programs for the Respiratory Therapist

Brief history of the NLHEP

• Founded by Petty with support from NIH

• Celebrating our 10th anniversary in 2006!

• Goals of the organization:– Increase awareness of COPD among the

public and health care groups– Promote the use of office spirometry for early

diagnosis and treatment of COPD

More than you ever wanted to know………

• NLHEP Executive Committee. Strategies in Preserving Lung Health and Preventing COPD and Associated Diseases. RespCare 1998: 43:185-216

• Ferguson et al. Office Spirometry for Lung Health Assessment in Adults: A Consensus Statement from the National Lung Health Education Program. Chest 2002: 117:1146-1161

• TPetty, DDoherty. The National Lung Health Education Program: Roots, Mission and Future Direction. RespCare 2004: 49:678-683

Programs from the NLHEP

• Spirometer Review Process

• COPD Awareness Poster Project

• Publications for patient/professional education

Spirometer Review Process (SRP)

“NLHEP advises spirometry for all current and former smokers and for anyone of any age with chronic cough, wheeze, chest tightness, shortness of breath or mucus hypersecretion.”

From Ferguson et al in Chest (reprinted in RespCare)

Spirometer Review Process

What it is: a systematic review process to assure that only the useful elements (FEV1, FEV6 and ratio) are available, based on ATS and ERS criteria

What it is not: a substitute for FDA and ATS approval processes

Spirometer Review Process

Composed of two documents:

- the review process step-by-step

- the checklist of features (both required and optional) in a logical format

Spirometer Review Process

A win, win, win for everyone!• For the patient• For the physician• For the manufacturer

Check it out on the home page of our site: www.nlhep.org

Benefit to the RT

• Identifies appropriate devices for use in:

– Public screening events– PCP offices – where the RT can do training

and mentoring of office staff

COPD Awareness Poster Project

• Meets primary NLHEP goals

• Represents all ages, ethnic groups and both genders

COPD Awareness Poster Project

Patients at risk need to know their FEV1 and FEV1/FEV6 ratio just like they know their blood pressure and cholesterol numbers!

May we suggest……

Consider displaying posters in– PCP offices– Outpatient clinic– Pulmonary Lab

And….

Think out of the box!

How about at:

• Health fairs in the mall

• AARP events• Fishing tournaments

And……

And don’t forget

Display posters when conducting smoking cessation programs at your local schools

Display posters in the OB/GYN and local pediatrician offices

To get the posters

Go to www.nlhep.org and click on COPD Awareness Poster Project

• Register to download

• Best copied on high resolution printer and mounted on heavy bond

• Kinko’s will do all 9 posters for about $14

Rules for using the posters

No co-branding or ads on the front

No changes in wording or format

…unless approved prior to use

The poster survey

Goal: To access effectiveness of project

Data collection:

- on line (www.nlhep.org)

- UTHSC-SA student project

- TAFP meeting

Plan: Publish outcomes

Publications

Go to “Resources” on home page- Information for Patients

NLHEP brochure

Save Your Breath America

- Physicians and Health Professionals

Prevent Emphysema Now

Early Recognition and Management of COPD

Simple Office Spirometry

To summarize…

Respiratory therapists have an opportunity to increase awareness of COPD and support

- COPD patients and their families

- the respiratory care profession

- the department you work in

Test Your Lungs – Know Your Numbers!

This is the battle cry of the National Lung Health Education Program!

Respiratory therapists and other health care professionals can help - increase awareness of COPD - help identify those at risk so that treatment can begin early in the course of the disease!

Thank you from NLHEP

To contact me:

Gretchen Lawrence

lawrence@nlhep.org

www.nlhep.org

972-910-8555 (in Dallas, TX)