Spirometry, or a lung function test, is the best way to diagnose and determine the severity of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD, yet the test is underused by many primary care practitioners. A spirometry toolkit being developed by Dr. Nick Hanania, associate professor of medicine in the section of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, could change that.
Hanania was recently named the American College of Chest Physicians’ GlaxoSmithKline Distinguished Scholar in Respiratory Health, which enables members who propose outstanding projects in pulmonary medicine to extend their impact in clinical practice.
His project will develop a toolkit for primary care practitioners that will guide them in the use of spirometry for diagnosing and managing airway diseases. It will be funded for $150,000 over three years by The CHEST Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the American College of Chest Physicians.
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