Recursos disponibles para el manejo de la agudización de la enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica en España / Available resources for the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations in Spain

Objetivo: Las agudizaciones de la enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (AEPOC) generan un elevado consumo de recursos. El presente estudio evalúa recursos asistenciales y organizativos disponibles para el manejo de las AEPOC en servicios de atención primaria (AP), neumología, medicina interna y urgencias españoles, y los compara con las recomendaciones vigentes. Material y métodos: Estudio observacional mediante encuestas telefónicas a médicos de AP, neumólogos, internistas y de urgencias. Resultados: Se entrevistaron 284 médicos. Según su opinión, los centros de AP tienen elevada disponibilidad de pulsioximetría (98,9%) y electrocardiografía (100,0%), y baja disponibilidad de radiología de tórax (19,1%) o analítica urgente (17,0%) en el mismo centro. El 76,1% de las salas de hospitalización disponen de equipos de monitorización de ventilación mecánica no invasiva (VMNI), aunque solo el 69,7% del personal de enfermería está adecuadamente formado para manejarlos. El 18,3% de hospitales públicos disponen de unidades de cuidados respiratorios intermedios (UCRI) frente al 41,7% de los privados. El 47,9% de médicos de urgencias recibieron formación de manejo de las AEPOC en el último año. Solo el 31,9% de centros de AP tienen protocolos específicos de derivación a atención especializada. Algo más del 35% de centros de AP y hospitales refieren no disponer de historia informatizada integrada con otros niveles asistenciales. Conclusiones: En líneas generales, los recursos disponibles son adecuados. Sin embargo, se detectan áreas de mejora como el inadecuado nivel de integración de la historia informatizada entre niveles asistenciales, baja dotación de UCRI en hospitales públicos o deficiencias en formación específica del manejo de la VMNI

Objective: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations (COPDE) lead to a high use of healthcare resources. This study assesses the healthcare and organisational resources of Spanish health care centres for the management of COPDE at different care levels (Primary Care (PC), Respiratory Diseases, Internal Medicine, and Emergency Departments), and compare with current recommendations. Material and methods: An observational study was carried out through telephone interviews to General Practitioners, Chest Diseases, Internal Medicine, and Emergency Department doctors. Results: A total of 284 doctors were interviewed. According to their responses, at PC centres there is a high availability of pulse oximetry (98.9%) and electrocardiograph (100%), and a low availability of Chest X-Ray (19.1%), or urgent laboratory tests (17.0%) in sites. In hospital wards, non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) availability was 76.1%, with only a 69.7% of nursing staff properly trained in its use. Respiratory intermediate care units (RICUs) were available in 18.3% of public hospitals versus 41.7% of private hospitals. Specific training for COPDE management was received by 47.9% of Emergency Department doctors in the previous year. Only 31.9% of PC centres had specific protocols for referring patients to specialists. More than 35% of PC centres and hospitals do not have their electronic medical records integrated with other healthcare levels. Conclusions: In general terms, there are sufficient resources available in Spanish healthcare centres. However, several areas of improvement were identified, such as an insufficient level of electronic medical record integration between healthcare levels, limited implementation of RICUs in public hospitals, and deficiencies related to specific training in NIV management

[Available resources for the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations in Spain]. / Recursos disponibles para el manejo de la agudización de la enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica en España.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations (COPDE) lead to a high use of healthcare resources. This study assesses the healthcare and organisational resources of Spanish health care centres for the management of COPDE at different care levels (Primary Care (PC), Respiratory Diseases, Internal Medicine, and Emergency Departments), and compare with current recommendations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An observational study was carried out through telephone interviews to General Practitioners, Chest Diseases, Internal Medicine, and Emergency Department doctors. RESULTS: A total of 284 doctors were interviewed. According to their responses, at PC centres there is a high availability of pulse oximetry (98.9%) and electrocardiograph (100%), and a low availability of Chest X-Ray (19.1%), or urgent laboratory tests (17.0%) in sites. In hospital wards, non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) availability was 76.1%, with only a 69.7% of nursing staff properly trained in its use. Respiratory intermediate care units (RICUs) were available in 18.3% of public hospitals versus 41.7% of private hospitals. Specific training for COPDE management was received by 47.9% of Emergency Department doctors in the previous year. Only 31.9% of PC centres had specific protocols for referring patients to specialists. More than 35% of PC centres and hospitals do not have their electronic medical records integrated with other healthcare levels. CONCLUSIONS: In general terms, there are sufficient resources available in Spanish healthcare centres. However, several areas of improvement were identified, such as an insufficient level of electronic medical record integration between healthcare levels, limited implementation of RICUs in public hospitals, and deficiencies related to specific training in NIV management.