M Miravitlles1, C Llor, K Naberan, J M Cots. 1. Servicio de Neumología, Institut Clínic de Pneumologia i Cirurgia Toràcica (IDIBAPS), Hospital Clínic i Provincial, Barcelona, Spain. marcm@separ.es
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the reliability of clinical data collection and transmission by Internet in a multicenter primary care study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Multicenter, observational study of a population of patients with exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). All data were gathered in a specifically designed digital program on a palm-held pocket computer. Information was transmitted on-line by modem to a central database. RESULTS: Thirty-nine researchers participated in this pilot phase. Over three months 324 patients were treated. Thirty-seven telephone consultations were generated, most (54%) in reference to how the digitized questionnaire worked. Questions were solved in a mean 5.44 minutes. No important technical problems occurred and no information was lost. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the Internet to transfer data for multicentric studies in primary care is possible. This system should be more widely used in the future, as it allows faster data collection and eliminates the need to input data at the end of the study.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the reliability of clinical data collection and transmission by Internet in a multicenter primary care study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Multicenter, observational study of a population of patients with exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). All data were gathered in a specifically designed digital program on a palm-held pocket computer. Information was transmitted on-line by modem to a central database. RESULTS: Thirty-nine researchers participated in this pilot phase. Over three months 324 patients were treated. Thirty-seven telephone consultations were generated, most (54%) in reference to how the digitized questionnaire worked. Questions were solved in a mean 5.44 minutes. No important technical problems occurred and no information was lost. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the Internet to transfer data for multicentric studies in primary care is possible. This system should be more widely used in the future, as it allows faster data collection and eliminates the need to input data at the end of the study.
Authors: Marc Miravitlles; Cristina Murio; Gema Tirado-Conde; Gur Levy; Hana Muellerova; Joan B Soriano; Alejandra Ramirez-Venegas; Fanny W S Ko; Byron Canelos-Estrella; Eduardo Giugno; Miguel Bergna; Ivan Chérrez; Antonio Anzueto Journal: Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis Date: 2008