Welcome!

In this sixth edition:

So far the COPD Audit has collected data from 7832 patients and 150 hospitals (34%) have completed their organisational questionnaire. Compared to the last progress update the amount of clinical cases increased by 44.5%! This rise is mainly due to the current European influenza pandemic and Group 2 joining the data collection.

While the validation period for clinical cases of Group 1will start tomorrow (related to the admission date between 25 October until 19 December), Group 2 admission period just took off 3 weeks ago. Therefore a lot will happen in the next two weeks.

Please click on the image for a complete overview of collected clinical cases and hospital questionnaires per country and group.

General information about the ERS COPD Audit   read more

Although the COPD Audit is not even halfway, it's already possible to share some preliminary descriptive results.

Mean age: 71 years;

Gender: 41% female, 59% male;

Smoking status: 34% smoker, 59% ex-smoker; 6.5% never smoker, 0.5% not available;

Mean pack-years: 48;

Mean length of stay: 8 days;

Death rate: 1.85%;

Spirometry results available: 53% yes, 47% no;

Comorbidity Charlson Index: 41%=1, 28%=2, 15%=3, 8%=4, 4%=5, 4%=6-12

Mean number of beds: 459;

Teaching hospital: 46% yes, 54% no;

Spirometry available in hospital: 84% yes, 16% no;

Respiratory physician on call 24/7: 45% yes, 55% no.

Are you interested in knowing more about the ERS COPD Audit and discuss new developments regarding quality improvement of (respiratory) health care? Then you might be interested in the following events where the ERS COPD Audit is part of the programme and our LinkedIn network:

• Clinical Audit and Improvement conference: 8-9 February 2011, Savoy Place - London more information
  
•  IV World Asthma & COPD Forum: 30 April - 3 May, Concorde Lafayette Hotel - Paris more information

The COPD Audit LinkedIn network for health care professionals enables you to share and discuss your thoughts or pose questions about new developments concerning pulmonary health care (COPD in particular), clinical audits and governance.

Are you interested to become part of our new COPD Audit network? Click here to join immediately!

Miniatlas Lung Cancer - iPhone, iPad, iPod touch  and Android

Would you like to enhance communication with your patients and always carry a powerful tool with many comprehensive images related to the disease in your pocket? If so, the Miniatlas Lung Cancer is here to help you. 

The Miniatlas Lung Cancer offers you incredible features:

• A huge database of detailed and labeled images related to Lung Cancer
• Each illustration has an explanation text beneath it
• Zoom in with your fingers to any section of the picture
• Easy search – just type part of the keyword you're looking for
• Email any image or section of an image you need
• Helps physicians to effectively and more easily communicate with their patients
• Available in English or Spanish localization
• Works in portrait or landscape mode