[Use of the Internet in a multicenter study of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in primary care. Pilot phase of the EFEMAP study].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the reliability of clinical data collection and transmission by Internet in a multicenter primary care study.


METHODS
Multicenter, observational study of a population of patients with exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). All data were gathered in a specifically designed digital program on a palm-held pocket computer. Information was transmitted on-line by modem to a central database.


RESULTS
Thirty-nine researchers participated in this pilot phase. Over three months 324 patients were treated. Thirty-seven telephone consultations were generated, most (54%) in reference to how the digitized questionnaire worked. Questions were solved in a mean 5.44 minutes. No important technical problems occurred and no information was lost.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of the Internet to transfer data for multicentric studies in primary care is possible. This system should be more widely used in the future, as it allows faster data collection and eliminates the need to input data at the end of the study.
Miravitlles
M
M
Servicio de Neumología, Institut Clínic de Pneumologia i Cirurgia Toràcica (IDIBAPS), Hospital Clínic i Provincial, Barcelona, Spain. marcm@separ.es
Llor
C
C
Naberan
K
K
Cots
J M
JM
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D016527:Drug Costs; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D012907:Smoking; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*