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Assessing Utilization of Spirometry Among Pediatric Primary Care Providers
Insights
Pediatric providers frequently manage asthma but underutilize spirometry due to barriers like availability and training. Improving spirometry use in primary care can enhance pediatric asthma management.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Primary Care Medicine
- Quality Improvement Science
Background:
- Childhood asthma affects 6.5% of US children, making it a significant public health concern.
- Spirometry is the established gold standard for diagnosing and managing pediatric asthma.
- Despite its importance, spirometry is underutilized in primary care settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the current use of spirometry by pediatric primary care providers.
- To identify perceived barriers hindering spirometry utilization in pediatric asthma care.
Main Methods:
- A quality improvement project guided by the Knowledge-to-Action framework.
- A comprehensive literature review on spirometry in pediatric primary care.
- A survey administered to primary care providers to assess spirometry practices and barriers.
Main Results:
- Most surveyed providers (n=37) regularly diagnose and manage asthma but not spirometry.
- Providers reported low regular spirometry use (mean=2.22/5).
- Key barriers identified were spirometry availability, time constraints, and inadequate training.
Conclusions:
- Nurse practitioners (NPs) can champion spirometry integration into primary care.
- This study offers practical strategies for implementing spirometry in pediatric primary care.
- Addressing identified barriers is crucial for improving spirometry use and enhancing pediatric asthma management.
Background:
Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease in childhood, affecting 6.5% of children in the United States. Spirometry is the gold standard objective measure when diagnosing and managing asthma, yet it is underutilized in primary care.
Aim Statement:
The purpose of this quality improvement project was to assess pediatric primary care provider use of spirometry and perceived barriers to use.
Methods:
The Knowledge-to-Action framework informed this quality improvement project. A focused review of current evidence was completed, and a survey was conducted to assess current spirometry practices and provider perspectives about spirometry.
Results:
The majority of respondents (n = 37) reported that they diagnose and manage asthma regularly (mean = 4.08/5 ± 0.72) but do not use spirometry regularly (mean = 2.22/5 ± 0.98). The top reported barriers to spirometry utilization included availability, time, and training.
Conclusions:
NPs can improve asthma care by advocating for spirometry in primary care. This manuscript provides strategies for incorporating spirometry into primary care practice.
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