Patient-Centered Airway Clearance and the Role of OPEP
On June 9th 2026, the Australian Physiotherapy Association hosted a clinically focused webinar exploring Patient-Centered Airway Clearance strategies and the evolving role of Oscillating Positive Exploratory Pressure (OPEP) therapy in respiratory care.
IN THIS SESSION, WE WILL:
✓ Recognize the impact of unmanaged mucus hypersecretion
✓ Review evidence and guidelines supporting OPEP therapy use
✓ Explore differences across OPEP devices
✓ Apply insights from practical, real-world patient cases
Speaker
Kathleen Hall
Kathleen Hall is a Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy at Australian Catholic University, Brisbane, with more than 30 years of clinical experience in cardiorespiratory physiotherapy. She has worked extensively across tertiary adult hospital services and in private practice, with a particular focus on airway clearance and the management of chronic respiratory disease.
Kathleen is actively involved in physiotherapy education, research, and sector-level professional leadership. Her work spans undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, assessment and curriculum reform, and contributions to national and multidisciplinary respiratory education initiatives. She is recognised for integrating evidence-based practice with clinically practical approaches to airway clearance across a range of patient populations.