Reasons for referral for pulmonary function testing: an audit of 4 adult lung function laboratories.

Background: Pulmonary function testing (PFT) is an important tool in the diagnosis and management of most respiratory conditions, and appropriate interpretation of test results is a fundamental component of the final report. As part of developing a structured approach to interpretation of PFT results, we wished to characterize primary reasons for referral for testing in a range of PFT laboratories.

Methods: Four PFT laboratories (3 public, 1 private) using similar PFT databases participated.