Related Experiment Videos
Practice patterns of respirologists in Canada.
Sat Sharma1, Anil Dhar, Laura McLean
1Section of Respirology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Manitoba, St Boniface general Hospital, BG034-409 Tache Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R2H 2A6, Canada. ssharma@sbgh.mb.ca
Canadian Respiratory Journal
|January 11, 2003
Summary
Canadian respirologists are predominantly younger and in academic practice. While current training meets manpower needs, most specialists desire more invasive procedure training to enhance patient care.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Medical Workforce Analysis
Background:
- Demographics and practice patterns of Canadian respirologists remain unexamined.
- Understanding respirology manpower and procedural utilization is crucial for healthcare planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the demographic characteristics of practicing respirologists in Canada.
- To assess current respirology workforce numbers and the use of invasive procedures in interventional pulmonology.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive mail survey was distributed to all Canadian respirologists.
- Response rate was 62% (n=355), providing data on demographics, practice type, and procedures performed.
Main Results:
- The majority of respirologists (69.2%) are under 50, with 70.3% in practice for less than 20 years.
- The respirologist-to-population ratio is approximately 1:81,000, meeting current recommendations, though nearly half dedicate significant time to non-clinical activities.
- While flexible bronchoscopy is common, invasive procedures like rigid bronchoscopy (20.8%) and thoracoscopy (11.3%) are less frequent.
Conclusions:
- Current respirology training programs adequately address manpower requirements.
- A significant demand exists for advanced training in invasive procedures, with 97% of specialists expressing interest.
- Developing fellowship programs and practical courses is recommended to enhance interventional pulmonology skills.