Improving adherence to pulmonary hypertension screening in patients with systemic sclerosis: Overcoming the provider-level barriers.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a life-limiting complication in patients with systemic sclerosis. Current recommendations suggest a minimum screening of an annual transthoracic echocardiogram and pulmonary function test. We hypothesize that modifiable provider-level hurdles contribute to inadequate screening and can be alleviated.

Methods and results

We performed a longitudinal study over 23 months of all systemic sclerosis patients seen in pulmonary and/or rheumatology clinics. Pulmonary arterial hypertension screening was measured monthly as percentage of patients with up-to-date transthoracic echocardiogram and pulmonary function test out of the total systemic sclerosis patients with an outpatient encounter that month. Tests were considered "up-to-date" if t

SUBMITTER: Wigger GW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8922621 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature