Responding to COVID-19—the experience of an adult cystic fibrosis centre

With potentially the most geographically dispersed cystic fibrosis population in the world, the Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre (ACFC) at The Princes Charles Hospital cares for adult cystic fibrosis patients residing as far afield as the Northern Territory and Northern New South Wales. The ACFC had a limited telehealth program in place as the pandemic hit, and with the looming influenza season, the need to maintain clinical trials activity, the challenges of trans-state jurisdictions and keeping the CF population well-informed on rapidly changing clinical practices, the ACFC had to rapidly adapt.

In this presentation, the team will report on their rapid and comprehensive transition to an almost completely 'Virtual CF Centre' within a short period of time, including multi-disciplinary innovations around outpatient care, management of pulmonary exacerbations, online home exercise programs, medication provision, influenza vaccination, and more.