[Clinical audit of patients admitted to hospital in Spain due to exacerbation of COPD (AUDIPOC study): method and organisation].

BACKGROUND: There is little information regarding the clinical management of hospital inpatients diagnosed with exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). AUDIPOC is a clinical audit dealing with the clinical management of COPD in Spain.
OBJECTIVES: To examine the adequacy and validity of the instruments used to measure the variables proposed by AUDIPOC Spain (Preliminary Study) and to verify the viability of AUDIPOC in a complex environment with hospitals of different sizes, resources, and organizational layout (Pilot Study).
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Preliminary Study took place in 4 hospitals and studied 213 cases. The Pilot Study took place in 30 hospitals of 6 Autonomous Communities (i.e. Regions) and studied 1203 cases.
RESULTS: The results of both studies contributed to the improvement of the design, methods and organization of the AUDIPOC work. Some of the improvements include better training of those responsible at a hospital level, a new classification of hospitals, the incorporation of new variables and the creation of a Bureau for the Coordination and Management of the Project.
CONCLUSIONS: The AUDIPOC study is viable. It aims to recruit 10000 patients across 142 hospitals from all the Regions of Spain. Copyright 2010 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.