RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Clinician Barriers to Ordering Pulmonary Function Tests for Adults with Suspected Asthma
JF The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Medicine
JO J Am Board Fam Med
FD American Board of Family Medicine
SP 321
OP 323
DO 10.3122/jabfm.2023.230347R1
VO 37
IS 2
A1 Haussmann, Alana
A1 Moudgal, Anita N.
A1 Calzia, Megan
A1 Hurley, Laura P.
YR 2024
UL http://www.jabfm.org/content/37/2/321.abstract
AB Background: Primary care clinicians do not adhere to national and international guidelines recommending pulmonary function testing (PFTs) in patients with suspected asthma. Little is known about why that occurs. Our objective was to assess clinician focused barriers to ordering PFTs.Methods: An internet-based 11-item survey of primary care clinicians at a large safety-net institution was conducted between August 2021 and November 2021. This survey assessed barriers and possible electronic health record (EHR) solutions to ordering PFTs. One of the survey questions contained an open-ended question about barriers which was analyzed qualitatively.Results: The survey response rate was 59% (117/200). The top 3 reported barriers included beliefs that testing will not change management, distance to testing site, and the physical effort it takes to complete testing. Clinicians were in favor of an EHR intervention to prompt them to order PFTs. Responses to the open-ended question also conveyed that objective testing does not change management.Discussion: PFTs improve diagnostic accuracy and reduce inappropriate therapies. Of the barriers we identified, the most modifiable is to educate clinicians about how PFTs can change management. That in conjunction with an EHR prompt, which clinicians approved of, may lead to guideline congruent and improved quality in asthma care.