The Réseau québécois de l’asthme et de la MPOC (RQAM) played an important role in asthma and COPD education in Quebec. RQAM is now known as the Réseau québécois d’éducation en santé respiratoire (RQESR). This guide explains what changed and where patients, families, caregivers, and healthcare professionals can find respiratory-health services and educational resources today.
Key Takeaways
- RQAM stood for the Réseau québécois de l’asthme et de la MPOC, a Quebec network focused on asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- RQAM did not simply disappear. In 2015, it became the Réseau québécois d’éducation en santé respiratoire (RQESR) as its mission expanded to other chronic respiratory diseases.
- The RQESR continues to support respiratory-health education in Quebec, including asthma and COPD education.
- Patients looking for asthma or COPD education can use the RQESR’s current directory to locate educational services across Quebec.
- Healthcare professionals who previously knew RQAM through its educator programs can find current professional education and training through the RQESR.
- Quebec residents who need non-emergency health guidance can contact Info-Santé 811.
- Asthma and COPD are different diseases. Education and self-management can support treatment, but they do not replace individualized medical care.
Looking for RQAM.ca?
If you were trying to visit RQAM.ca, searching for the Réseau québécois de l’asthme et de la MPOC, or following an older link to an RQAM resource, there is an important update:
RQAM is now known as the Réseau québécois d’éducation en santé respiratoire, or RQESR.
Visit the current RQESR website
The organization’s history extends back to 1994, when the Réseau québécois pour l’enseignement de l’asthme was established. In the early 2000s, an emerging COPD network joined it, creating the Réseau québécois de l’asthme et de la MPOC (RQAM).
In 2015, RQAM changed its name to the Réseau québécois d’éducation en santé respiratoire (RQESR). The organization explains that the new name reflected the expansion of its activities beyond asthma and COPD to other chronic respiratory diseases (RQESR, n.d.).
For patients, healthcare professionals, researchers, or others encountering an old RQAM reference, the RQESR is the organization to look for today.
RQAM became the Réseau québécois d’éducation en santé respiratoire (RQESR) in 2015 as its mission expanded beyond asthma and COPD to other chronic respiratory diseases.
What Was RQAM?
RQAM stood for the Réseau québécois de l’asthme et de la MPOC.
MPOC is the French abbreviation for maladie pulmonaire obstructive chronique, known in English as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The network developed from Quebec initiatives designed to strengthen education for people living with chronic respiratory disease.
Its history is particularly connected with asthma education. Published research describing Quebec’s respiratory-education initiatives documents the development of organized asthma education and training for healthcare professionals.
The organization subsequently expanded its activities to COPD, eventually becoming RQAM.
Its work was not limited to maintaining a health-information website. The network was part of a broader effort to integrate respiratory education into healthcare and help people living with asthma and COPD understand and manage their conditions.
That history is important because someone following an old RQAM link today may still be looking for those same kinds of services.
What Is RQAM Called Today?
The organization is now the Réseau québécois d’éducation en santé respiratoire (RQESR).
The RQESR describes its mission as promoting respiratory-health education and supporting the development of educational and clinical services for people affected by chronic respiratory diseases.
Its activities continue to include asthma and COPD while extending into other areas of respiratory health.
Learn about the RQESR and its current mission
This continuity is particularly important for people who encounter older RQAM publications or resources. An older document carrying the RQAM name does not mean the respiratory-education network disappeared.
In many cases, current information and services can now be found through the RQESR.
Where Can Former RQAM Users Find Asthma and COPD Services?
One of the most useful current resources is the RQESR directory of respiratory-health educational services.
Find respiratory educational services through the RQESR
Respiratory-health education can help patients understand their condition and participate more effectively in its management. Depending on the disease and individual treatment plan, education may address:
- understanding symptoms and treatment;
- using inhalers correctly;
- understanding prescribed medications;
- identifying factors that worsen symptoms;
- developing self-management skills;
- recognizing signs of an asthma attack or COPD exacerbation;
- following an individualized action plan; and
- knowing when worsening symptoms require professional or emergency medical care.
Education does not replace diagnosis or medical treatment. It complements care provided by physicians, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.
Why Self-Management Matters for Asthma and COPD
Asthma and COPD are different respiratory diseases, but both can require substantial day-to-day participation from the person living with the condition.
Having a prescription does not necessarily mean a patient knows how to use an inhaler properly, recognize worsening symptoms, respond appropriately when symptoms change, or understand the purpose of each medication.
This is where structured patient education can be valuable.
The RQESR describes self-management education as part of the continuum of asthma and COPD care. This approach can include helping patients develop problem-solving abilities, establish goals with healthcare professionals, develop individualized action plans, and evaluate how well their treatment strategy is working.
Research from Quebec has examined the integration of asthma education into primary care. In one study, trained asthma educators provided education within family medicine clinics, reflecting Quebec’s longstanding effort to connect respiratory education with routine healthcare (Boulet et al., 2015).
Quebec has also played an important role in COPD self-management education. The Quebec Respiratory Health Education Network model has been described in the medical literature as an approach for integrating self-management education into COPD primary care (Bourbeau et al., 2018).
The objective is not to make patients responsible for treating themselves without medical supervision. It is to give them the knowledge and skills necessary to participate effectively in their care.
Asthma Resources in Quebec
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by variable respiratory symptoms and variable expiratory airflow limitation.
Common symptoms can include:
- wheezing;
- shortness of breath;
- chest tightness; and
- coughing.
Symptoms can vary substantially between individuals and can also change over time.
Asthma management should be individualized. Depending on the patient, treatment may involve controller medication, reliever medication, trigger management, assessment of inhaler technique, monitoring, and a written asthma action plan.
Patient education is particularly important because incorrect inhaler technique, misunderstanding the role of different medications, and uncertainty about what to do when symptoms worsen can interfere with effective disease management.
The RQESR continues to provide respiratory educational resources and professional training relevant to asthma.
RQESR respiratory-disease resources
People who previously used RQAM to locate asthma education should therefore consider the RQESR a primary starting point today.
COPD Resources in Quebec
COPD is a chronic lung disease associated with persistent respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation.
Symptoms can include:
- shortness of breath;
- chronic cough;
- sputum production;
- wheezing or chest tightness;
- reduced exercise tolerance; and
- episodes in which respiratory symptoms become substantially worse.
Periods of acute worsening are known as COPD exacerbations.
COPD treatment varies according to symptoms, exacerbation history, disease severity, other medical conditions, and individual circumstances.
Management may include inhaled medications, smoking cessation for people who smoke, vaccination, physical activity, pulmonary rehabilitation, oxygen therapy for selected patients, and education in self-management.
An important part of COPD education is helping patients recognize deterioration early and understand the action plan developed with their healthcare team.
Research describing the Quebec respiratory-health education model emphasizes the integration of structured self-management education into COPD primary care (Bourbeau et al., 2018).
The RQESR continues to provide COPD-related education and professional training.
RQESR COPD education and training
What Is an Asthma or COPD Action Plan?
An action plan is an individualized set of instructions designed to help a patient know what to do when symptoms change.
Asthma and COPD action plans are not interchangeable. The details should reflect the person’s diagnosis, prescribed treatment, disease severity, and recommendations from their healthcare team.
Depending on the condition, an action plan may help a patient understand:
- their usual treatment;
- which symptoms should be monitored;
- how to recognize deterioration;
- what previously agreed steps should be taken when symptoms worsen;
- when to contact a healthcare professional; and
- when symptoms require urgent or emergency care.
This is one reason patient education was central to RQAM’s work and remains relevant through the RQESR.
Having medication available is important. Knowing how and when to use it correctly is also essential.
Correct Inhaler Technique Is an Important Part of Respiratory Care
Inhaled medications are central to the treatment of many people with asthma and COPD, but different inhaler devices require different techniques.
A patient may have an appropriate medication but receive less benefit if the inhaler is used incorrectly.
Education can involve learning how to prepare the device, inhale appropriately for that particular inhaler, coordinate inhalation when required, maintain the device, and recognize when technique should be reassessed.
The RQESR provides educational material related to inhaler use.
RQESR inhaler technique resources
Patients can also ask a pharmacist, respiratory therapist, nurse, physician, or another appropriately trained healthcare professional to observe their inhaler technique.
Technique should not be assumed to remain correct indefinitely. Reassessment can be particularly useful after changing devices or when respiratory symptoms are not adequately controlled.
Smoking Cessation and Respiratory Health
Smoking is a major preventable cause of COPD and can worsen respiratory health.
For people who smoke, stopping can be one of the most important steps they can take to protect their lungs. Nicotine dependence can make quitting difficult, however, and multiple attempts may be necessary.
Professional support can help.
Quebec provides smoking-cessation information and support through Québec sans tabac.
Smoking cessation is also important for people with asthma who smoke because tobacco smoke can worsen respiratory symptoms and interfere with disease control.
Exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke should also be minimized.
Physical Activity and Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Respiratory disease can create a difficult cycle.
Shortness of breath may make someone reluctant to exercise. Reduced activity can then contribute to physical deconditioning, which may make activity feel even more difficult.
For appropriate people with COPD, pulmonary rehabilitation can be an important part of treatment.
Pulmonary rehabilitation generally combines exercise training, education, and strategies that help people manage chronic respiratory disease. It is more than simply joining an exercise program.
A healthcare professional can determine whether pulmonary rehabilitation is appropriate and help identify available services.
People with asthma can also participate in regular physical activity when their condition is appropriately managed. Having asthma does not automatically mean exercise should be avoided.
New, severe, or unexplained exercise-related breathing difficulty should be medically assessed.
Digital Tools and Remote Respiratory Care
Digital healthcare has expanded the ways people with chronic respiratory diseases can receive education, monitor symptoms, communicate with healthcare professionals, and participate in follow-up.
Digital approaches can include:
- educational websites;
- mobile applications;
- symptom diaries;
- medication reminders;
- electronic action plans;
- remote monitoring;
- teleconsultations; and
- communication with healthcare teams.
A review of digital healthcare in COPD found substantial potential for digital approaches while also emphasizing important limitations, including differences among technologies, patient populations, implementation strategies, and the quality of supporting evidence (Wilkinson et al., 2022).
Technology should therefore be considered a tool that can support healthcare rather than an automatic replacement for direct medical assessment.
Quebec provides information about telehealth services through its provincial healthcare system.
Quebec Telehealth services for patients
Resources for Healthcare Professionals Who Previously Used RQAM
RQAM was relevant not only to patients but also to healthcare professionals involved in respiratory education.
That role continues through the RQESR.
The organization provides continuing education and training related to asthma, COPD, and other areas of respiratory health.
RQESR training for respiratory-health educators
Healthcare professionals encountering older RQAM educational materials should check whether the RQESR has a newer resource or recommendation rather than assuming an archived document remains current.
This is particularly important for medication recommendations, inhaler devices, clinical guidelines, action plans, and treatment pathways, which can change as medical evidence and clinical practice evolve.
Where Can I Find an Asthma or COPD Education Centre in Quebec?
If this is why you were looking for RQAM, the most direct current resource is the RQESR educational-services directory.
Search RQESR educational services in Quebec
The directory can help users identify respiratory educational services according to their location and needs.
Because services, contact information, eligibility requirements, and referral procedures can change, checking the current directory is preferable to relying on an old RQAM address or telephone number found in an archived publication.
A family physician, nurse practitioner, respiratory therapist, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional may also be able to direct patients to appropriate local respiratory services.
Where Can Quebec Residents Get Health Advice?
Someone experiencing respiratory symptoms may not always know whether to contact a clinic, pharmacist, respiratory service, emergency department, or another healthcare provider.
For non-emergency health concerns, Quebec residents can use Info-Santé 811.
Info-Santé 811 allows callers to speak with a nurse who can assess the situation, provide health advice, and help direct the caller to an appropriate healthcare resource when necessary.
Quebec also provides a broader service for locating healthcare resources.
Find a healthcare resource in Quebec
These services may be particularly useful for someone who arrived at an old RQAM address because they were trying to locate respiratory care rather than simply obtain general information about asthma or COPD.
When Breathing Problems Require Emergency Care
Educational resources and telephone health services are not substitutes for emergency care.
Seek immediate medical attention for severe or rapidly worsening breathing difficulty, particularly when a person:
- is struggling to breathe;
- cannot speak normally because of breathlessness;
- develops blue or gray lips, skin, or nail beds;
- becomes confused, extremely drowsy, or loses consciousness;
- develops severe chest pain;
- experiences a severe asthma attack that is not responding as expected to their prescribed emergency treatment; or
- appears to be experiencing another life-threatening emergency.
In Quebec and elsewhere in Canada, call 911 for a medical emergency.
People with asthma or COPD should discuss warning signs and emergency instructions with their healthcare team before an emergency occurs.
Frequently Asked Questions About RQAM
Does RQAM still exist?
The organization formerly known as the Réseau québécois de l’asthme et de la MPOC (RQAM) changed its name in 2015 to the Réseau québécois d’éducation en santé respiratoire (RQESR) as its respiratory-health mission expanded (RQESR, n.d.).
What does RQAM stand for?
RQAM stands for Réseau québécois de l’asthme et de la MPOC. MPOC is the French abbreviation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD.
What is RQAM called now?
It is now the Réseau québécois d’éducation en santé respiratoire (RQESR).
Is RQESR the same organization as RQAM?
The RQESR describes RQAM as part of its organizational history. RQAM adopted the RQESR name in 2015 as its respiratory-health mission expanded.
Why did RQAM change its name?
The change reflected an expansion of the organization’s work beyond asthma and COPD to education involving a broader range of chronic respiratory diseases.
Where should I go if I was looking for RQAM.ca?
The most appropriate starting point is the current RQESR website.
Go to the current RQESR website
Can RQESR help me find asthma education?
The RQESR maintains a directory of respiratory educational services that can help people identify services in Quebec.
Find RQESR educational services
Does RQESR provide COPD resources?
Yes. COPD remains an important part of the network’s activities, and the RQESR provides COPD-related educational and professional resources.
Can respiratory education replace medical care?
No. Respiratory education complements medical care. Diagnosis, medication decisions, significant treatment changes, and assessment of worsening symptoms require appropriate healthcare professionals.
What should I do if I do not know where to seek care?
For a non-emergency health concern in Quebec, Info-Santé 811 can provide health advice and help direct callers to an appropriate resource.
What should I do during a breathing emergency?
Call 911 or seek emergency medical care. Do not rely on a website, email, educational service, or routine appointment when severe or potentially life-threatening breathing difficulty is occurring.
If You Were Looking for RQAM, Start Here
If an old RQAM link brought you here, these are the most useful current destinations:
Former RQAM organization:
Réseau québécois d’éducation en santé respiratoire (RQESR)
Asthma and COPD educational services:
RQESR educational service directory
Resources for healthcare professionals:
RQESR respiratory educator training
Non-emergency health advice in Quebec:
Info-Santé 811
Finding healthcare services in Quebec:
Quebec health-resource directory
Smoking cessation support:
Québec sans tabac
Final Thoughts
The Réseau québécois de l’asthme et de la MPOC (RQAM) played a role in the development of organized asthma and COPD education in Quebec. Although people may still encounter the RQAM name in older websites, publications, bookmarks, professional materials, and references, the organization did not simply disappear.
RQAM became the Réseau québécois d’éducation en santé respiratoire (RQESR) in 2015.
The RQESR continues the network’s respiratory-health education mission while addressing a broader range of chronic respiratory diseases.
For patients and families, the RQESR can be a starting point for finding asthma and COPD educational services. For healthcare professionals, it provides respiratory-health education and training resources. Quebec residents who are unsure where to seek non-emergency medical care can also use Info-Santé 811 and Quebec’s health-resource directory.
Most importantly, anyone following an old RQAM link because they are looking for the organization itself should now look for the Réseau québécois d’éducation en santé respiratoire (RQESR).
References
Boulet, L. P., Boulay, M. È., Gauthier, G., Battisti, L., Chabot, V., Beauchesne, M. F., Villeneuve, D., & Côté, P. (2015). Benefits of an asthma education program provided at primary care sites on asthma outcomes. Respiratory Medicine, 109(8), 991–1000. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmed.2015.05.004
Bourbeau, J., Farias, R., Li, P. Z., et al. (2018). The Quebec Respiratory Health Education Network: Integrating a model of self-management education in COPD primary care. Chronic Respiratory Disease, 15(2), 103–113. https://doi.org/10.1177/1479972317723237
Réseau québécois d’éducation en santé respiratoire. (n.d.). 30e anniversaire du RQESR. https://www.rqesr.ca/fra/30ieme.asp
Réseau québécois d’éducation en santé respiratoire. (n.d.). Qui sommes-nous? https://www.rqesr.ca/fra/le-reseau/qui-sommes-nous.asp
Réseau québécois d’éducation en santé respiratoire. (n.d.). Services éducatifs. https://www.rqesr.ca/fra/services-educatifs.asp
Wilkinson, T., et al. (2022). Digital healthcare in COPD management: A narrative review on the advantages, pitfalls, and need for further research. Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease, 16. https://doi.org/10.1177/17534666221075493
