The Improving Care in Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease Study: CAROL Improving Processes of Care and Quality of Life of COPD Patients in Primary Care: A Cluster Randomized Trial

The care in obstructive lung disease study (CAROL) is a cluster-randomized controlled trial with randomization on the practice level. Thirty practices will be randomly assigned to equally sized intervention group or control group.

Each General Practioner (GP) of a practice will approach consecutively and regardless the reason for the current encounter, COPD patients diagnosed by spirometric evaluation (FEV1/ FVC < 0.70), aged 45 years older, with a smoking history of = 10 pack-years (PY). GPs in the intervention group will receive "QualiCCare" education, which addresses knowledge, decision-making and behavioural aspects as well as delivery of care according to COPD quality indicators and evidence based key elements. In the control group no educational intervention will be applied and COPD patients will be treated as usual. The study period is one year.

The primary outcome measure is an aggregated score of relevant clinical processes defining elements in the care of patients with COPD: smoking cessation counseling, influenza vaccination, motivation for physical activity, appropriate pharmacotherapy, patient education and collaborative care.