Lay summary
Patients with chronic lung disease are often admitted to hospital when their symptoms get worse. Most of the medical treatments that these patients need can be given at home and we believe that many of these patients would prefer to be looked after at home. The challenge is identifying when it is safe to do so and when hospital admission is required. This research will investigate whether we can identify low-risk patients in the emergency department using a combination of clinical assessments and blood tests. These low-risk patients may be suitable for home-based treatment. We will then assess what medical and social concerns might prevent them from being cared for at home, and what additional community supports might be needed. This project has the potential to improve patients’ care and quality of life as well as provide substantial cost savings for the health service.