PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - O'Neill, Katherine AU - O'Neill, Brenda AU - McLeese, Rebecca H. AU - Chalmers, James D. AU - Boyd, Jeanette AU - De Soyza, Anthony AU - McCallion, Paul AU - Bradley, Judy M. TI - Digital technologies in bronchiectasis physiotherapy services: a survey of patients and physiotherapists in a UK centre AID - 10.1183/23120541.00013-2024 DP - 2024 May 01 TA - ERJ Open Research PG - 00013-2024 VI - 10 IP - 3 4099 - https://publications.ersnet.org//content/10/3/00013-2024.short 4100 - https://publications.ersnet.org//content/10/3/00013-2024.full SO - erjor2024 May 01; 10 AB - Introduction We aimed to explore how digital technology is currently used, could be used and how services could be improved in order to optimise bronchiectasis physiotherapy care.Methods Online surveys were designed and distributed amongst people with bronchiectasis and physiotherapists in Northern Ireland. Responses to closed and open question formats were collected and analysed.Results The survey was completed by 48 out of 100 physiotherapists (48%) between January 2020 and January 2021 and by 205 out of 398 people with bronchiectasis (52%) between October 2020 and October 2021. 56% of physiotherapists (27 out of 48) reporting using some type of digital technology to facilitate services, whereas 44% (21 out of 48) reported that they had never used a digital technology in this patient group. When physiotherapists were asked whether they would be likely to use certain remote and/or digital options to deliver follow-up care for airway clearance techniques, most (31–38 out of 48; 65–79%) indicated that they would. Regarding patient responses, most reported that they would use telephone consultation (145 out of 199, 73%) and a smaller proportion were likely to use video consultation (64 out of 199, 32%). The most commonly mentioned theme for improvement amongst patients was follow-ups, while improved access, quality of services and treatments were the most commonly mentioned amongst physiotherapists.Conclusion Despite a large proportion of physiotherapists in this survey reporting no current use of digital technology in bronchiectasis physiotherapy care, there was significant interest and willingness to do so, amongst both physiotherapists and patients. This survey highlighted a range of care areas, specifically follow-up visits, where digital methods could be further explored.Digital health technologies have the potential to support personalised approaches and innovative care pathways in bronchiectasis physiotherapy care https://bit.ly/42otjRD