Improving Asthma Outcomes Through Spirometry Distance Learning

The Spirometry 360 program includes:

• "Spirometry Fundamentals™: A basic guide to lung function testing," a computer-based training program that teaches primary care providers how to coach patients to produce high-quality spirometry tests and accurately interpret spirometric data;
• Spirometry Learning Lab: Case-based teaching of spirometry in practice guides test administrators and interpreters through clinical examples in an interactive virtual classroom setting. These sessions are led by expert clinical faculty and are archived for future reference and review;
• Spirometry Feedback: Tailored analysis of providers' spirometry testing sessions offers monthly individualized feedback reports by clinical experts on spirometry tests performed in the clinic.

This is a cluster randomized controlled trial to test the effectiveness of the Spirometry 360 program. The Spirometry 360 program will be provided to 25 primary care pediatric practices from two practice-based research networks. A separate group of 25 matched control practices recruited from these same networks will receive standard training from the equipment vendor during the study and the Spirometry 360 training program at the end of the study.

Inclusion criteria

(Parent):

• Parents must have a child who has had at least one visit for asthma with a participating provider during the 12 months before the study start date
• Must have monthly access to email and the Internet
• Must have child aged 5-16 years

Inclusion criteria

(Child):

• Aged 5-16 years
• Must have access to email and the Internet

Exclusion criteria

(Parents):

• Parents with children who are outside our target age range of 5-16 years old
• Parents with children who haven't had a clinic visit for asthma care in the last year
• Parents without monthly access to the Internet

Exclusion criteria

(Child):

• Children who are outside our target age range of 5-16 years
• Children without monthly access to email and the Internet