I fear that your question arrived 166 years too late.

It is true there are still traditions (some native magician-doctors of various persuasions) and remote regions in the world (like regions in Australia, Amazonia, regions of the New Guiney) where spirometry is not used.

However, Dr. Hutchinson introduced spirometry over 166 years ago (J Med Chir Transp 29: 137, 1849) and it has been used extensively since. Today this is the main technique used to diagnose airway obstruction. Small, portable spirometer is an essential and standard instrument today of each lung physician and even of a general practitioner.

Or you wanted to ask something else?

While it's true that spirometry has been around for more than 100 years, it's still not widely used as an early identification tool for asthma and COPD. One analysis from a university-based primary care clinic reported that only 19% of patients with COPD had undergone spirometry. So some hospital systems are creating initiatives to promote the use -- especially early use -- of spirometry to diagnose COPD and asthma. I know of three initiatives: the Colorado Asthma Toolkit of 2007, the Mobile Spirometry Unit, launched by the COPD foundation in 2007 and Spirometry 360 from the University of Washington, Seattle in 2009. I am trying to find out if there are other hospitals/hospital systems that have adopted some new initiatives and what the outcomes have been to date.

Thanks.

Phyllis

OK I understand.

This is always a cost/benefit and compliance question. I think that benefit is not so evident, but may be studies will show that I am wrong. I also think that screening for asthma that is done here and there, is not giving particular results.

This may be useful:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25961279

Thanks for sending the article link. I'll contact the authors for responses to some of my questions. I appreciate the help.

I think that people are surprised (as I was) with your question because number or GP and lung physitians routinelly use spirometry already in their everyday practice. If you want to get some responses restate the question:

Does anyone know of hospitals that have implemented or are conducting studies on  early diagnostics and prevention of COPD and Asthma by early spirometry?

Thanks for the tip, Dragan. The question originated with my editor who indicated that he has heard that the industry needs to increase/improve access to spirometry, particularly *early* spirometry. I have been in touch with researchers and hospitals that have or are planning to implement early spirometry programs. I'm sure they'll provide some good insights.