ARTP Spirometry News - Reporting

29 March 2022

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ARTP have recently made a change to the name of the Interpretation element of the ARTP Spirometry Certificate which will now be referred to as 'Reporting'.

Please see the information below on why ARTP have made the change:

“Currently, there are two elements to ARTP Spirometry Certification, which include an assessment on the performance of quality assured spirometry and interpretation of spirometry results. Unfortunately, “interpretation of spirometry” causes confusion with “clinical interpretation”, and often in practice the terms are inaccurately used interchangeably.

Spirometry interpretation refers to an assessment of the spirometry result. This includes taking into account deviations in test quality to state whether the result is normal or abnormal, and into which pattern the spirometry results fit (normal, obstructive, restrictive, and mixed obstructive/restrictive patterns); other elements include assessing bronchodilator response as part of a bronchodilator responsiveness test, commenting upon changes over time if spirometry is serially measured.

Clinical interpretation is performed in the clinical context of the patients presenting signs and symptoms, requires an advance level of knowledge and a wide range of skills in reading spirometry results and interpreting findings from other tests; the outcome from these investigations (which may or may not include spirometry) are interpreted to form a diagnosis, management plan and offer treatment. It is not the place for spirometry certification to assess such a wide range of skills.“

Please note that this will not change any of the assessments candidates are required to undertake as part of the certificate.

ARTP are currently in the process of amending the documentation and website to reflect the above change.

If you have any further questions, please contact ARTP Spirometry Administration at spirometry@artp.org.uk

ARTP Spirometry Committee

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