Can Access to Spirometry in Asthma Education Centres Influence the Referral Rate by Primary Physicians for Education?

Overview

Journal Can Respir J

Publisher Wiley

Specialty Pulmonary Medicine

Date 2006 Dec 7

PMID 17149461

Citations 4

Authors

M Labrecque

M Lavallee

M F Beauchesne

A Cartier

L P Boulet

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background And Objectives: Asthma remains uncontrolled in a large number of asthmatic patients. Recent surveys have shown that a minority of asthmatic patients are referred to asthma educators. The objective of the present study was to assess the influence of increased access to spirometry in asthma education centres (AECs) on the rate of patient referrals to these centres by general practitioners.

Methods: A one-year, prospective, randomized, multicentric, parallel group study was conducted over two consecutive periods of six months each, with added spirometry being offered in the second six-month period to the experimental group. Ten AECs were enrolled in the project. An advertisement describing the AECs' services was sent by mail to a total of 303 general practitioners at the start of each period, inviting them to refer their patients. Measures of the frequency of medical referrals to the AECs were assessed for each period.

Results: The group of AECs randomly selected for spirometry in the second six-month period received 48 medical referrals during the first period and 32 during the second one, following proposed spirometry. AECs that had not offered spirometry received five referrals during the first period and seven during the second period. One AEC withdrew a few weeks after the study began and others encountered administrative problems, reducing their ability to provide interventions.

Conclusions: Referral to AECs is not yet integrated into the primary care of asthma and offering more rapid access to spirometry in the AECs does not seem to be a significant incentive for such referrals.

Citing Articles

A multi-stakeholder perspective on asthma care in Canada: findings from a mixed methods needs assessment in the treatment and management of asthma in adults.

Murray S, Labbe S, Kaplan A, Petrasko K, Waserman S Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2018; 14:36.

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Physician agreement regarding the expansion of pharmacist professional activities in the management of patients with asthma.

Tilly-Gratton A, Lamontagne A, Blais L, Bacon S, Ernst P, Grad R Int J Pharm Pract. 2016; 25(5):335-342.

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Towards Excellence in Asthma Management: final report of an eight-year program aimed at reducing care gaps in asthma management in Quebec.

Boulet L, Dorval E, Labrecque M, Turgeon M, Montague T, Thivierge R Can Respir J. 2008; 15(6):302-10.

PMID: 18818784 PMC: 2679561. DOI: 10.1155/2008/323740.

[Whither spirometry?].

Anthonisen N Can Respir J. 2007; 13(8):411-2.

PMID: 17211936 PMC: 2683324. DOI: 10.1155/2006/893407.

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