| Title: | What percentage of patients with COPD have had pulmonary function testing – an audit of inpatients with a label of COPD |
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| Author(s): | T O' Halloran Una O' Connor A Scott |
| Institution: | St John's Hospital Limerick |
| Poster: | Click to view poster |
| Category: | COPD/Asthma |
| Abstract: | Spirometry is required to make a diagnosis of COPD with FEV1/FVC<0.7 in the correct clinical context confirming the diagnosis as per GOLD guidelines. Access to pulmonary testing has been limited internationally and locally. We aim to assess what percentage of patients attending our hospital with COPD have had Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) or spirometry. The respiratory consultants in St. John’s hospital daily inpatient ward census was reviewed for April 2021. Patients were selected if they had COPD in their problem list. Charts were retrieved and checked for documented PFT or spirometry results. N=21 patients were selected with diagnosis of COPD; 9 of them were admitted with infective exacerbation of COPD (IECOPD). Of the 21 patients with COPD in the problem list, 33%(7) had had PFTs/spirometry documented in the past. Of the 9 patients admitted with IECOPD, 44% (4) had PFTs/spirometry documented in the past. More than half of the patients admitted with IECOPD and two thirds of patients with a labelled diagnosis of COPD had no record of pulmonary function tests. It is planned to begin pulmonary function testing at St Johns Hospital Limerick which will improve local access to this essential diagnostic testing. |
