Clinical Audits in Outpatient Clinics for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Methodological Considerations and Workflow

Objectives: Previous clinical audits for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have provided valuable information on the clinical care delivered to patients admitted to medical wards because of COPD exacerbations. However, clinical audits of COPD in an outpatient setting are scarce and no methodological guidelines are currently available. Based on our previous experience, herein we describe a clinical audit for COPD patients in specialized outpatient clinics with the overall goal of establishing a potential methodological workflow.Methods: A pilot clinical audit of COPD patients referred to respiratory outpatient clinics in the region of Andalusia, Spain (over 8 million inhabitants), was performed. The audit took place between October 2013 and September 2014, and 10 centers (20% of all public hospitals) were invited to participate. Cases with an established diagnosis of COPD based on risk factors, clinical symptoms, and a post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC ratio of less than 0.70 were deemed eligible. The usefulness of formally scheduled regular follow-up visits was assessed. Two different databases (resources and clinical database) were constructed. Assessments were planned over a year divided by 4 three-month periods, with the goal of determining seasonal-related changes. Exacerbations and survival served as the main endpoints.Conclusions: This paper describes a methodological framework for conducting a clinical audit of COPD patients in an outpatient setting. Results from such audits can guide health information systems development and implementation in real-world settings.This study was financially supported by an unrestricted grant from Laboratorios Menarini, SA (Barcelona, Spain)

Guideline Adherence in Outpatient Clinics for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Results from a Clinical Audit.

Journal ArticleOBJECTIVES Previous clinical audits of COPD have provided relevant information about medical intervention in exacerbation admissions. The present study aims to evaluate adherence to current guidelines in COPD through a clinical audit. METHODS This is a pilot clinical audit performed in hospital outpatient respiratory clinics in Andalusia, Spain (eight provinces with more than 8 million inhabitants), including 9 centers (20% of the public centers in the area) between 2013 and 2014. Cases with an established diagnosis of COPD based on risk factors, clinical symptoms, and a post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC ratio of less than 0.70 were deemed eligible. The performance of the outpatient clinics was benchmarked against three guidance documents available at the time of the audit. The appropriateness of the performance was categorized as excellent (>80%), good (60-80%), adequate (40-59%), inadequate (20-39%), and highly inadequate (<20%). RESULTS During the audit, 621 clinical records were audited. Adherence to the different guidelines presented a considerable variability among the different participating hospitals, with an excellent or good adherence for symptom recording, MRC or CAT use, smoking status evaluation, spirometry, or bronchodilation therapy. The most outstanding areas for improvement were the use of the BODE index, the monitoring of treatments, the determination of alpha1-antitrypsin, the performance of exercise testing, and vaccination recommendations. CONCLUSIONS The present study reflects the situation of clinical care for COPD patients in specialized secondary care outpatient clinics. Adherence to clinical guidelines shows considerable variability in outpatient clinics managing COPD patients, and some aspects of the clinical care can clearly be improved.This study was financially supported by an unrestricted grant from Laboratorios Menarini, SA (Barcelona, Spain).Ye

Seasonal variability in clinical care of COPD outpatients: results from the Andalusian COPD audit

OBJECTIVES: Clinical practice in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be influenced by weather variability throughout the year. To explore the hypothesis of seasonal variability in clinical practice, the present study analyzes the results of the 2013-2014 Andalusian COPD audit with regard to changes in clinical practice according to the different seasons. METHODS: The Andalusian COPD audit was a pilot clinical project conducted from October 2013 to September 2014 in outpatient respiratory clinics of hospitals in Andalusia, Spain (8 provinces with more than 8 million inhabitants) with retrospective data gathering. For the present analysis, astronomical seasons in the Northern Hemisphere were used as reference. Bivariate associations between the different COPD guidelines and the clinical practice changes over the seasons were explored by using binomial multivariate logistic regression analysis with age, sex, Charlson comorbidity index, type of hospital, and COPD severity by forced expiratory volume in 1 second as covariates, and were expressed as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: The Andalusian COPD audit included 621 clinical records from 9 hospitals. After adjusting for covariates, only inhaler device satisfaction evaluation was found to significantly differ according to the seasons with an increase in winter (OR, 3.460; 95% CI, 1.469-8.151), spring (OR, 4.215; 95% CI, 1.814-9.793), and summer (OR, 3.371; 95% CI, 1.391-8.169) compared to that in autumn. The rest of the observed differences were not significant after adjusting for covariates. However, compliance with evaluating inhaler satisfaction was low. CONCLUSION: The various aspects of clinical practice for COPD care were found to be quite homogeneous throughout the year for the variables evaluated. Inhaler satisfaction evaluation, however, presented some significant variation during the year. Inhaler device satisfaction should be evaluated during all clinical visits throughout the year for improved COPD management.This study was funded by an unrestricted grant from Menarini, SpainYe

Guidelines statements used for benchmarking non-pharmacological therapeutic options.

<p>GOLD 2013: Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease 2013 [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0141856#pone.0141856.ref019" target="_blank">19</a>].</p><p>SEPAR 2009: SEPAR Health-Care Quality Standards 2009 [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0141856#pone.0141856.ref021" target="_blank">21</a>].</p><p>GesEPOC 2012: Spanish National Guidelines for COPD [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0141856#pone.0141856.ref022" target="_blank">22</a>].</p><p>Guidelines statements used for benchmarking non-pharmacological therapeutic options.</p

Recommendations regarding the diagnostic tests.

<p>Recommendations regarding the diagnostic tests.</p

Guidelines statements used for benchmarking the outpatient clinics.

<p>GOLD 2013: Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease 2013 [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0141856#pone.0141856.ref019" target="_blank">19</a>].</p><p>SEPAR 2009: SEPAR Health-Care Quality Standards 2009 [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0141856#pone.0141856.ref021" target="_blank">21</a>].</p><p>GesEPOC 2012: Spanish National Guidelines for COPD [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0141856#pone.0141856.ref022" target="_blank">22</a>].</p><p>Guidelines statements used for benchmarking the outpatient clinics.</p

Types of hospitals in Andalusia and their participation in the audit.

<p>Types of hospitals in Andalusia and their participation in the audit.</p