GP Guide to Practice Reflections: COPD
This guide will help general practitioners interpret the information in their Practice Reflections report on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
What is the GP Guide to Practice Reflections for?
General practitioners across the country were sent a Practice Reflections report on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in November 2025.
This guide will help general practitioners better understand and contextualise the information in their own Practice Reflections report.
If you did not receive a report, you can view an example report or read our FAQs to find out more about Practice Reflections.
Important information about the data
The reports focus on MBS office-based spirometry item numbers 11505 and 11506.
There is no established benchmark for spirometry rates in primary care. The comparison rate provided here is a reference point for reflection rather than a target.
The comparison rate is calculated as the number of office spirometry tests claimed for every 1000 patients who had a general practitioner consultation for all general practitioners in the remoteness area (RA).
The data in these reports is purely for quality improvement and not retained or used for any other purpose.
We understand the challenges to providing spirometry in primary care, including financial barriers. Options to refer patients to other providers should be explored if spirometry is not offered in your practice.
Available sets of data
Spirometry results in your Practice Reflections report are displayed as figures where feasible. When there are results that exceed the chosen scale or require confidentiality suppression, tables are used to keep outputs clear and understandable.
Trend over years
Number of office spirometry tests claimed per 1,000 patients aged 35 years and over, 2021 to 2024
*Results based on Figure version of example Practice Reflections report
| Year | You | RA |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | 3 |
| 2022 | 1 | 2 |
| 2023 | 2 | 3 |
| 2024 | 3 | 5 |
**Results based on Table version of example Practice Reflections report
What does the data show?
Data shows the total number of office-based spirometry tests that were claimed, expressed as a rate per 1,000 patients aged 35 years and over, and the aggregate rate for general practitioners in the same remoteness area (RA) as you, for calendar years 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
The purpose of this data is to show you the trend in use of office-based spirometry in your patients over time.
Sample rate calculation example:
- If you claimed 5 spirometry tests for patients aged 35 years or over in 2021 and your practice had a total of 500 patients aged 35 years or over
- Your rate of spirometry claims per 1,000 patients aged 35 years or over is (5/500) * 1,000 = 10.
My data do not look as I’d expect, why could this be?
If your request rate for spirometry is higher than you expect, this may be because:
- Your total number of patients aged 35 years or over is lower than average.
- You requested office-based spirometry prior to the calendar year 2021, but your patients had them performed during the calendar year 2021.
If your requests for office spirometry are lower than you expect, this may be because:
- Your total number of patients aged 35 years or over is higher than average. For example, if you:
- Requested 6 spirometry in 2021. Have 2000 patients aged 35 years or over for that calendar year then the rate of your office spirometry claims per 1000 patients aged 35 years or over = (6/2000) * 1000 = 3.
- You are requesting spirometry, but your patients are not having them performed.
Help me reflect on my data
Questions you may want to consider when reviewing your data include:
- Have my requests for spirometry changed over the last four years?
- What are the reasons my spirometry requests may have changed?
- How do you actively promote the role of spirometry to your patients in COPD management?
What about the impact of COVID-19?
Rates of spirometry decreased nationally during the pandemic, as seen in the Atlas Focus Report on COPD and have only partially recovered. Reasons may have included infection control concerns and a reduction in face-to-face consultations. These effects will be seen in the aggregate general practitioner rates, as well as many individual practice rates.
Age distribution
Number of office spirometry tests claimed per 1,000 patients, by patient age group, 2024
*Results based on Figure version of example Practice Reflections report
| Age | You | RA |
|---|---|---|
| 35−64 | 2 | 4 |
| 65 + | 4 | 7 |
**Results based on Table version of example Practice Reflections report
What does the data show?
Data shows the total number of office-based spirometry tests that were claimed, expressed as a rate per 1,000 patients aged 35 years and over, and the aggregate rate for general practitioners in the same remoteness area (RA) as you, for calendar years 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
The purpose of this data is to show you the trend in use of office-based spirometry in your patients over time.
Sample rate calculation example:
- If you claimed 5 spirometry tests for patients aged 35 years or over in 2021 and your practice had a total of 500 patients aged 35 years or over
- Your rate of spirometry claims per 1,000 patients aged 35 years or over is (5/500) * 1,000 = 10.
My data do not look as I’d expect, why could this be?
If your request rate for spirometry is higher than you expect, this may be because:
- Your total number of patients aged 35 years or over is lower than average.
- You requested office-based spirometry prior to the calendar year 2021, but your patients had them performed during the calendar year 2021.
If your requests for office spirometry are lower than you expect, this may be because:
- Your total number of patients aged 35 years or over is higher than average. For example, if you:
- Requested 6 spirometry in 2021. Have 2000 patients aged 35 years or over for that calendar year then the rate of your office spirometry claims per 1000 patients aged 35 years or over = (6/2000) * 1000 = 3.
- You are requesting spirometry, but your patients are not having them performed.
Help me reflect on my data
Questions you may want to consider when reviewing your data include:
- Have my requests for spirometry changed over the last four years?
- What are the reasons my spirometry requests may have changed?
- How do you actively promote the role of spirometry to your patients in COPD management?
What about the impact of COVID-19?
Rates of spirometry decreased nationally during the pandemic, as seen in the Atlas Focus Report on COPD and have only partially recovered. Reasons may have included infection control concerns and a reduction in face-to-face consultations. These effects will be seen in the aggregate general practitioner rates, as well as many individual practice rates.
Spirometry type
Number of office spirometry tests claimed (based on MBS item) per 1,000 patients aged 35 years and over, 2024
*Results based on Figure version of example Practice Reflections report
| MBS item | You | RA |
|---|---|---|
| 11505 | 1 | 3 |
| 11506 | 1 | 2 |
**Results based on Table version of example Practice Reflections report
What does the data show?
Data shows the number of office-based spirometry claims by MBS item, expressed as a rate per 1000 patients aged 35 years and above.
The request rate per 1000 patients aged 35 years and above is shown for calendar year 2024.
The purpose of this data is to show you the type of office spirometry requests in your patients.
My data do not look as I’d expect, why could this be?
The data represents office spirometry claims.
If your numbers are lower than you expect, it may be:
- You are requesting referrals, but your patients are not having them performed.
If your numbers are higher than you expect, it may be:
- You requested referrals before the calendar year 2024, but your patients had them performed during the calendar year 2024.
Your practice age profile (number of patients)
*Results based on Figure version of example Practice Reflections report
| Age group (years) | You | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35−49 | 131 | 93 | 170 |
| 50−64 | 148 | 103 | 194 |
| 65−79 | 96 | 45 | 150 |
| 80 + | 27 | <6 | 48 |
**Results based on Table version of example Practice Reflections report
What does the data show?
Data shows the total number of unique patients aged 35 and over that you have seen for category 1 Medicare consultations between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024.
Data also shows the 25th–75th percentile of GPs in the same RA as you.