Pulmonary rehabilitation identifies and treats the systemic effects of the disease and the positive outcomes are realised without demonstrable improvements in lung function. It is multidisciplinary, patient centred and provides a comprehensive assessment upon which the three components of exercise training, self-management education, and psychosocial/ behaviour intervention are conducted over a period lasting 6 to 12 weeks. Pulmonary rehabilitation administered after hospital admission for an exacerbation was shown to be able to improve quality of life, improve exercise capacity, and also reduce re-exacerbation and hospital admission. Self-management education may promote long-term adherence to the exercise program.