Incorporating Pulmonary Rehabilitation in the management of patients with COPD in Sri Lanka: lessons learnt from the RECHARGE-IPCRG Teach the Teacher programme

Clinical Research Results Abstract Research Idea Abstract Service Development & Evaluation Abstract Aim: Through the RECHARGE-IPCRG Teach the Teacher (TtT), build capacity for developing pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) services across Sri Lanka.Brief outline of the context: Despite the benefits of PR, resources and awareness for PR are limited in Sri Lanka. Early studies in Sri Lanka have shown promise for PR improving quality of life, exercise capacity and anxiety of COPD patients. To implement PR into routine care, the TtT cascade approach was applied.Brief description of the intervention: RECHARGE-IPCRG TtT Tier 1 programme was conducted via online workshops September-October 2021 for NIHR Global RECHARGE partners, including four members from Sri Lanka. The purpose of TtT was to develop skills in teaching to support the training and implementation of PR nationally. Brief description of the change: By supporting the training of healthcare workers through high quality teaching combined with expertise in PR, the RECHARGE-IPCRG TtT will develop master teachers in PR who will conduct local training (e.g. for physiotherapists, respiratory physicians) to increase PR awareness and knowledge.Impact of Changes: We are currently working on strategies to increase awareness of PR among healthcare workers. We also plan to prioritise center-based PR as this will be more appealing to patients. Lessons learnt: New teaching approaches, including the use of online pedagogical tools, for conducting patient assessments and patient education by culturally appropriate methods and delivering culture appropriate PR methods were demonstrated, discussed and applied during TtT. Experiences obtained through the RECHARGE-IPCRG are useful in overcoming the barriers identified in the feasibility trial.Message for others: The TtT cascade model offers a scalable way of developing expertise in PR, supporting plans for national-level implementation of interventions, such as PR, where demand exceeds capacity. Declaration of Interest Declaration: This research was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (17/63/20) using UK aid from the UK Government to support global health research. References and Clinical Trial Registry Information