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Management of community-acquired pneumonia by trained family general practitioners.
Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2008 Jan; 12(1):19-25.IJ

Abstract

SETTING

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a respiratory health disease with a high prevalence in the general population. Family general practitioners (GPs) can play an important role in CAP management by reducing unnecessary hospital admissions and, consequently, national health costs.

OBJECTIVE

To assess CAP management by trained GPs.

DESIGN

A course in CAP management, including a risk classification method based only on clinical criteria, was developed within the framework of an educational programme. GPs who participated in the programme (n = 220) were asked to collect data on their CAP patients.

RESULTS

GPs (n = 94, response rate 42.7%) provided information on 370 patients (50% males, aged 18-93 years). The numbers of patients judged to be at low, moderate and high risk were 81%, 13% and 6%, respectively. The admission rate was 19.5%. All home-treated patients had good clinical outcomes. Home treatment was based on quinolones (62%), beta-lactams (23%) and macrolides (15%). The attributable economic mean cost of antibiotic home treatment was euro 96 per episode (standard deviation 71, range 17-445).

CONCLUSIONS

The good outcomes suggest that GPs managed their CAP patients well, adhering to the content of the CAP management course. The risk evaluation of patients admitted to hospital, based exclusively on clinical elements, was consistent with more complex classification.

Authors+Show Affiliations

Potena A
Respiratory Physio-Pathology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria, Ferrara, Italy. pta@unife.it
Simoni M
No affiliation info available
Cellini M
No affiliation info available
Cartabellotta A
No affiliation info available
Ballerin L
No affiliation info available
Piattella M
No affiliation info available
Putinati S
No affiliation info available

MeSH

AdultAgedAged, 80 and overAnti-Bacterial AgentsCommunity-Acquired InfectionsDecision Support TechniquesDrug CostsFemaleGuideline AdherenceHealth Care CostsHumansItalyMaleMiddle AgedOutpatientsPatient AdmissionPhysicians, FamilyPneumoniaPractice Guidelines as TopicPractice Patterns, Physicians'Program EvaluationRisk AssessmentRisk FactorsTime FactorsTreatment Outcome

Pub Type(s)

Evaluation Study
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Language

eng

PubMed ID

18173872

Citation

Potena, A, et al. "Management of Community-acquired Pneumonia By Trained Family General Practitioners." The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease : the Official Journal of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, vol. 12, no. 1, 2008, pp. 19-25.
Potena A, Simoni M, Cellini M, et al. Management of community-acquired pneumonia by trained family general practitioners. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2008;12(1):19-25.
Potena, A., Simoni, M., Cellini, M., Cartabellotta, A., Ballerin, L., Piattella, M., & Putinati, S. (2008). Management of community-acquired pneumonia by trained family general practitioners. The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease : the Official Journal of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 12(1), 19-25.
Potena A, et al. Management of Community-acquired Pneumonia By Trained Family General Practitioners. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2008;12(1):19-25. PubMed PMID: 18173872.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Management of community-acquired pneumonia by trained family general practitioners. AU - Potena,A, AU - Simoni,M, AU - Cellini,M, AU - Cartabellotta,A, AU - Ballerin,L, AU - Piattella,M, AU - Putinati,S, PY - 2008/1/5/pubmed PY - 2008/3/14/medline PY - 2008/1/5/entrez SP - 19 EP - 25 JF - The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease : the official journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease JO - Int J Tuberc Lung Dis VL - 12 IS - 1 N2 - SETTING: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a respiratory health disease with a high prevalence in the general population. Family general practitioners (GPs) can play an important role in CAP management by reducing unnecessary hospital admissions and, consequently, national health costs. OBJECTIVE: To assess CAP management by trained GPs. DESIGN: A course in CAP management, including a risk classification method based only on clinical criteria, was developed within the framework of an educational programme. GPs who participated in the programme (n = 220) were asked to collect data on their CAP patients. RESULTS: GPs (n = 94, response rate 42.7%) provided information on 370 patients (50% males, aged 18-93 years). The numbers of patients judged to be at low, moderate and high risk were 81%, 13% and 6%, respectively. The admission rate was 19.5%. All home-treated patients had good clinical outcomes. Home treatment was based on quinolones (62%), beta-lactams (23%) and macrolides (15%). The attributable economic mean cost of antibiotic home treatment was euro 96 per episode (standard deviation 71, range 17-445). CONCLUSIONS: The good outcomes suggest that GPs managed their CAP patients well, adhering to the content of the CAP management course. The risk evaluation of patients admitted to hospital, based exclusively on clinical elements, was consistent with more complex classification. SN - 1027-3719 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/18173872/Management_of_community_acquired_pneumonia_by_trained_family_general_practitioners_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -