GP Guide to Practice Reflections: COPD

To support their quality improvement activities, general practitioners (GPs) across Australia are receiving Practice Reflections reports. These reports contain their Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) spirometry data, along with aggregate data from GPs in similar remoteness areas for comparison purposes.

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. Additional explanations describing the data in the example Practice Reflections: COPD report are provided below which may assist you in interpreting your report, if you have received one.

The Commission’s recent Atlas Focus report showed a 68% drop in rates of office-based spirometry nationally between 2015–16 and 2022–23, along with only 2 in 5 COPD patients having a recorded spirometry in the MedicineInsight Snapshot report.

The Practice Reflections: COPD report focuses on MBS office-based spirometry item numbers – 11505 and 11506. This data is provided to you only to support quality improvement and is not retained or used for any other purpose.

N.B. 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 1,000 patients who had a GP consultation for all GPs in the remoteness area (RA).

Trend over years

Number of office spirometry tests claimed per 1,000 patients aged 35 years and over, 2021 to 2024

Figure 2*

_{^*Results based on Figure version of example Practice Reflections report}

Table 1**

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}

Figure 2*

_{^*Results based on Figure version of example Practice Reflections report}

Table 1**

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 GPs 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

What about the impact of COVID-19?

Age distribution

Number of office spirometry tests claimed per 1,000 patients, by patient age group, 2024

Figure 3*

_{^*Results based on Figure version of example Practice Reflections report}

Table 2**

Age	You	RA
35−64	2	4
65 +	4	7

_{^**Results based on Table version of example Practice Reflections report}

Figure 3*

_{^*Results based on Figure version of example Practice Reflections report}

Table 2**

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?

My data do not look as I’d expect, why could this be?

The data represents the office-based spirometry tests claimed on your patients.

If your numbers are lower than you expected, it may be because your patients are not having the requested spirometry tests performed.

If your numbers are higher than you expect, it may be because you requested the tests before the calendar year 2024, but your patients had them performed during the calendar year 2024.

Help me reflect on my data

Spirometry type

Number of office spirometry tests claimed (based on MBS item) per 1,000 patients aged 35 years and over, 2024

Figure 4*

_{^*Results based on Figure version of example Practice Reflections report}

Table 3**

MBS item	You	RA
11505	1	3
11506	1	2

_{^**Results based on Table version of example Practice Reflections report}

Figure 4*

_{^*Results based on Figure version of example Practice Reflections report}

Table 3**

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?

My data do not look as I’d expect, why could this be?

What if I can’t offer spirometry in my practice?

The Commission is aware of 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.