2006 OPEN FORUM Abstracts
NATIONAL LUNG HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAM (NLHEP)COPD AWARENESS POSTER SURVEY
D E Doherty, MD, G
Lawrence, RRT, FAARC, (NLHEP staff), M Calvillo RRT, A Nelson RRT, D Hallmon CRT, C Valdez RRT (UTHSC-SA RT students)
Background: COPD
diagnosis is best made with spirometry. Kaminsky et al (Respir Care,
50:12.2005) cited primary care physicians' (PCP) reasons for not doing simple
spirometry in their offices (time, staff training, reimbursement, lack of
confidence in interpretation, meaning of results). NLHEP created posters with risk factor
questions (smoking history, respiratory symptoms, environmental exposure) for
display where people go for health care (pulmonary lab, outpatient clinic, PCP
waiting/exam room, health fair). The posters were designed to encourage dialogue
between patients and health care professionals about spirometry testing when
appropriate. The project was introduced in October 2005 on the NLHEP web site (www.nlhep.org) and through other groups, including the AARC. Beginning in February
2006, two surveys to assess impact of this project were introduced - one for NLHEP
web site registrants (WS) and one for PCPs in San Antonio, TX (PCPSA). WS
respondents (5% RNs, 77% RTs, 3% PL, 2% MD, 13% other) completed it on line.
PCPSA respondents were personally surveyed by RT students after agreeing to
display posters in their waiting and exam rooms.
| Responses - Non-PCPs | WS (n=362) |
| How I will use the posters: | |
| Give to PCPs | 59 (24%) |
| PulmLab/OP clinic | 130 (53%) |
| Health Fairs | 118 (48%) |
| Other venues | 68 (28%) |
| PCP responses | %WS (n=6) | %PCPSA (n=12) |
| Poster attractive/understandable | 97 | 100 |
| Ordered tests based on posters | 100 | 95 |
| Spirometry not useful for COPD dx | 0 | 0 |
| No spirometer in my office | 0 | 50 (6) |
| No training to do test right | 0 | 50 (6) |
| Reimbursement is not adequate | 17 (1) | 17 (2) |
| Equipment is too costly | 0 | 25 (3) |
| Uncertain about meaning of results | 0 | 0 |
| My patients at risk do not want test | 0 | 0 |
| I refer testing to lab or specialist | 0 | 83 (10) |
Conclusion: While
PCP sample size was small in both groups, results indicate that PCP reasons for
not doing the test are consistent with Kaminsky study. Non-PCP users should
consider sharing posters with PCPs, as PCPSA group reported ordering 56
spirometry tests based on poster display over 4-6 week period studied.