title: The quality of spirometric examinations in Finland: results from a national questionnaire survey.
abstract: National treatment programmes for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have in the past few years increased the need for spirometry in Finland. The purpose of this study was to determine, by means of a national questionnaire survey, the quality and number of spirometric examinations performed in Finland in 1998, the year when the national COPD programme was initiated. We estimated that 395 000-425 000 spirometric examinations were performed in Finland in 1998. The mean quality of spirometry was evaluated as moderate, and the quality index developed for this study indicated an average of scores of 67 (max 100), ranging between 43 and 88 in the whole country. The most common qualitative insufficiencies in spirometric examinations were found in preparation of the subject for the examination, performance of the examination, recognition of a successful spirometric curve and evaluation of reproducibility of the examination. Furthermore, the time reserved in the reports for performing the examination was often very short. However, in comparison with the previous questionnaire survey in Finland (in 1990), the quality of spirometry had markedly improved.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Physiology, Helsinki University Central Hospital (HUCH), Helsinki, Finland. paivi.piirila@hus.fi
authors.forename: Päivi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piirilä
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pietinalho
authors.forename: Minna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loponen
authors.forename: Helga
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Naumanen
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nurminen
authors.forename: Aino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siukola
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Korhonen
authors.forename: Kaj
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koskela
authors.forename: Anssi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sovijärvi
mesh_terms: D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013147:Spirometry / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires