Spirometry is the most used pulmonary function test and an important component for diagnose, manage and monitor of respiratory conditions. Evidence-based guidelines recommend that spirometry is necessary for correctly diagnosing patients with respiratory disorders, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Unfortunately, due to the COVID pandemic provision of spirometry in primary and community settings has greatly reduced or ceased, causing this valuable service to be underutilised further. Restoration of spirometry service is a key step in managing respiratory patients in the community.
Pharmacy professionals are actively integrated with many aspects of pulmonary patient care, including recommending and adjusting inhaled pharmacological agents, monitoring for potential drug-drug and drug-disease interactions, recommending smoking cessation, and educating patients, caregivers on use of prescribed respiratory delivery devices. Adding quality spirometry services, based on current guidelines for accurate training, would increase the breadth and depth of services provided by pharmacy professionals. More importantly, pharmacy professionals are in the position to help to address the current shortage of spirometry provision.
In addition, spirometry services are an opportunity for pharmacy professionals to expand patient access and improve the quality of care for respiratory patients, especially when integrated with other clinical pharmacy service. Evidence has shown that pharmacy professionals receiving correct training is essential in providing quality spirometry testing.
MORPh, with the support of Vitalograph, will be providing spirometry training on their respiratory training events. Successfully trained pharmacy professionals will be able to meet the needs of patients with suspected or diagnosed lung conditions. Spirometry will be seen as a value-added service by pharmacy professionals to improve evidence-based practice for screening and diagnosing lung conditions along with providing comprehensive clinical services to complement testing.
References:
