title: Impact of an educational intervention on the quality of spirometry performance in a general practice: an audit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the technical performance of spirometry in one general practice, and then to deliver in-house education to effect change.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective audit of 45 spirometry reports assessed against possible alternative quality criteria. Three subsequent educational interventions for those clinicians performing and interpreting spirometry. Re-audit of 45 spirometry report sheets four months later against the same criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  38% of the initial post-bronchodilator spirometries were technically flawed. Post-education, 2% of spirometries were technically flawed and respiratory referrals fell by 50%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The technical quality of practice spirometry can be audited. In-house education significantly reduced spirometry errors and was associated with a 50% reduction in respiratory referrals.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice, Nuffield Health Centre, Witney, Oxfordshire, UK. robin.carr@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: Vicky
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Telford
authors.forename: Gareth
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Waters
mesh_terms: D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000592:standards*; D058006:General Practice; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013147:Spirometry / Q000592:standards*; D006113:United Kingdom