| Reason | Purpose |
| Suspected severe COPD | Confirm diagnosis and optimise therapy |
| Onset of cor pulmonale | Confirm diagnosis and optimise therapy |
| Assessment for oxygen therapy | Optimise therapy and measure blood gases |
| Assessment for long term nebuliser therapy | Optimise therapy and exclude inappropriate prescriptions |
| Assessment for oral corticosteroids therapy | Justify need for long term treatment or to supervise withdrawal |
| Bullous lung disease | Identify candidates for surgery |
| Rapid decline in FEV1 | Encourage early intervention |
| Assessment for pulmonary rehabilitation | Identify candidates for pulmonary rehabilitation |
| Assessment for lung volume reduction surgery | Identify candidates for surgery |
| Assessment for lung transplantation | Identify candidates for surgery |
| Dysfunctional breathing | Confirm diagnosis, optimise pharmacotherapy and access other therapists |
| Aged under 40 years or a family history of alpha1 antitrypsin deficiency | Identify alpha1 antitrypsin deficiency, consider therapy, and screen family |
| Uncertain diagnosis | Make a diagnosis |
| Symptoms disproportionate to lung function deficit | Look for other explanations |
| Frequent infections | Exclude bronchiectasis |
| Haemoptysis | Exclude carcinoma of the bronchus |