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Implementation of a Standardized Pulmonary Function Test Interpretation Curriculum to Improve Pulmonary Fellow Interpretation Quality and Education

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A4904 - Implementation of a Standardized Pulmonary Function Test Interpretation Curriculum to Improve Pulmonary Fellow Interpretation Quality and Education
Author Block: S. W. Bullick, R. Bayliss, N. S. Stollenwerk, R. W. Harper; University of California at Davis, Sacramento, CA, United States.
RATIONALE:
Interpreting a pulmonary function test (PFT) accurately is an essential skill for all pulmonologists. At our institution, we identified a significant degree of heterogeneity in PFT interpretations. We hypothesized that the heterogeneity was due to an absence of a standardized PFT interpretation curriculum, including a set of guidelines for interpretation and a digital interpretation template. By implementing a standardized approach to PFT interpretation, we aim to show improvement in both learner and supervisor satisfaction as well as consistency in interpretation strategy.
METHODS:
We developed a PFT interpretation curriculum packet that was presented to all first year pulmonary fellows during their first month of fellowship. After all first year fellows rotated through a month of interpreting PFTs they filled out an education satisfaction survey. This same satisfaction survey was distributed to the second and third year fellows who did not have access to the curriculum and lecture. Additionally, we implemented a standardized interpretation template into the software utilized by our institution for interpretation. We measured fellows’ adherence to the use of the new template and compared this to previous adherence. Finally, we distributed satisfaction surveys to the faculty before and after the intervention to determine if the fellow interpretations improved with the intervention.
RESULTS:
Fellows exposed to the standardized curriculum felt more prepared to interpret PFTs and were more confident in their interpretations. All fellows exposed to the curriculum recommended that we use the same curriculum for future first year fellows. Additionally, fellow adherence to the new standardized and systematic interpretation template was significantly greater than prior interpretation templates. Increased adherence to the new standardized template significantly improved consistency of fellow interpretations. Finally, attending physicians found that they made significantly fewer corrections to fellows’ interpretations and were more satisfied with the clarity of interpretations following the intervention.
CONCLUSIONS:
The development and implementation of a PFT interpretation curriculum and standardized interpretation template greatly improved learner and supervisor satisfaction at a large academic institution. The heterogeneity in interpretations greatly improved following the intervention as demonstrated by improved adherence to the standardized template.
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